


EDulation

by FluffDuckling



Category: Ed Edd n Eddy
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-19
Updated: 2015-05-05
Packaged: 2018-03-24 16:46:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 105
Words: 115,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3776011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FluffDuckling/pseuds/FluffDuckling
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kevin Barr and Eddward Marion Vincent. Sometimes they are lovey. Sometimes they are dovey. And even sometimes they are hurtful. But no matter the situation, they always seem to pull through. Rating will vary.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Meeting Nurse Edd

**Author's Note:**

> From my FF account  
> I'd like to take the time right now to give credit to c2ndy2cid and asphixion for creating Nat and the Reverse characters respectively and Rave belongs to eyugho.

"You really should be more careful, Kevin," Eddward says as he rubs alcohol over a scrape on Kevin's knee. The nurse's aide takes care to wipe away any dirt and grime and bandages up the flesh wound with expertise.

"Yeah, whatever," Kevin says quietly, watching the aide from the cot. It's raised but Eddward still has to bend down a bit. The imagery races through is teenage male mind, sending a wave of heat from his stomach down. He won't let himself blush like a girl.

Eddward's head bobs and he smiles, his gap peaking through his lips. It's a lovely sight for someone like Kevin, who is head-over-heels enamoured with the beanie-wearing-magnifying-glass-toting boy.

"Well, I think you're all patched up again, Kevin. You really should take more caution in your actions. Being as active as you, it's quite easy to get more than just a scrape." Eddward holds out the nurse's jar of lollies and Kevin takes one, even though he knows he won't be able to savor it until later, away from the prying eyes of the football team.

"Yeah, I'll try and do that." Kevin hops down and punches Eddward lightly on the arm. The aide stumbles a bit and smiles shyly.

"Y-yes, well, I'm sure you have class now, don't dawdle." Eddward writes a note for Kevin's teacher and sends him on his way.

Once the door has clicked shut, Kevin feels his face burn bright red. He pulls his baseball cap down and shrugs his shoulders to strut down the hall to his class. The lollie is in his pocket and he smiles to himself, knowing it's just another reminder that he got to see Eddward again today.

As wonderful an athlete as he is, Kevin really is accident prone. This has been the fifth time this week that Eddward has patched up his high school crush.

The football star had swaggered in, hands shoved in his pockets and baseball cap pulled over his eyes. He looked stunning to Eddward, until Kevin said something about a scrape and Eddward's mind started whirling.

He had Kevin sit while he got the items needed to bandage the scrape. Eddward was self-conscious as he bent in front of Kevin to work on his knee. He got nervous a lot around the athlete and tended to ramble on whatever task he was on.

"You really should be more careful, Kevin."

"Yeah, whatever."

Eddward lets a tiny smile slip across his face. He's turned away anyway so Kevin couldn't see it. He liked how Kevin could do that. Not care about injuring himself, even if it's just a scrape.

Eddward places a bandage over Kevin's knee and announces he's done. As an afterthought, Eddward offers him a lollie and almost regrets it. Kevin is popular, the star athlete of the school. He wouldn't want a lollie, those were for children!

Kevin takes one, but doesn't eat it. He must be being polite for Eddward's sake.

He hops off the cot and the two stand in silence for nearly a minute before Eddward begins to write a note for Kevin. "Y-Yes, well, I'm sure you have a class now, don't dawdle." He hands over the note and they don't touch fingers.

Kevin leaves without another word and as soon as the door is shut, Eddward feels his knees wobble and he nearly falls to the floor, his stomach fluttering like it always did when Kevin visited him in the nurse's office.


	2. Peach Creek Cobblers

Peach Creek, being the tiny community it was, had a record graduating number of 57. That was back in '99 before people moved out due to the lack of funding for the construction that just never got around the being finished.

Nowadays, in the '10s, the graduating class of 2013 had exactly fifteen people. That was including Plank, the honorary Peach Creek student.

And with such a small graduating class, the school's varsity athletic teams were very small, usually not having enough members to play tournaments.

Like the football team, which was mandatory for all male students as their physical education credit. There were only eight male students.

"C'mon, you ladies!" Team Captain Kevin shouted at the other boys. The Peach Creek football team was practicing after school. They would be playing a faux-game that Friday with Lemon Brook. "Move it! Do you want to be pounded by those Lemon Jerks?!"

The team was running laps at this moment, including the shouting captain, though he was much further along than the others. "There'll be extra push-ups for the last one done!" he shouted.

The team groaned, but pushed on. Double D, probably the only member who completely despised the team he was forced on (although Jimmy probably disliked it as well), was bringing up the rear, just a few steps behind Jimmy, who was heaving quite heavily.

'Oh, curse this short stature of mine,' Double D thought to himself. He knew Kevin would make him stay after everyone else had left. He always did.

The practice lasted until five-thirty and by that time, Ed and Eddy, Double D's best friends were running, faster than they had during their laps, home, leaving behind the third member of their trio.

"Alright, Double Dweeb," Kevin said. "Let's work on those skinny arms of yours."

Double D frowned and glanced at Kevin, but followed his orders. He dropped to his knees, disliking the grass stains he was getting on his pant legs and dirt that was covering his hands. Kevin squatted down next to him.

"Give me ten to start with and we'll go from there," Kevin said quietly.

Double D tried his hardest, honestly he did, but he never really was good at physical activities. And push-ups were terribly hard to accomplish when one had skinny, noodle arms, even if they didn't weigh that much.

His arms shook as he reached his fifteenth push-up, Kevin counting out loud and encouraging him to keep going. But at twenty, Double D collapsed onto the ground, his arms spent.

Kevin sighed with frustration. "Well," he said, "That was one more than last time. You're improving at least."

Double D gave Kevin a small smile, wiping off the dirt and grass, frowning at every stain he found on his uniform.

Kevin held out a hand to help up the other boy. "Good job, Dork," he said, pecking Double D on the cheek. "Next time we'll work on passing the ball."

Double D flushed furiously, but nodded and smiled shyly.


	3. New in Town

Mother and Father got new job transfers recently and little Eddward was taken along to their new home across the country. He was a little scared, but also excited to meet a whole new set of people.

The moving truck had already brought all of their things to their new house and now Eddward sat in his car seat while Mother and Father drove in the front seat and talked about their job. Eddward knew better than to disturb them while discussing work so he busied himself with the scenery rushing by.

The big city buildings had long since passed and now they were passing by a large field of wheat. There was a small town a little further ahead and that was where home was now.

Mother and Father pulled into a little cul-de-sac at approximately two-thirty. Two-story houses lined the one-way road. They were all uniform, but with little differences to each for the different families that lived there.

Eddward saw a boy and girl staring at his car as they passed by to their new house. Maybe he could introduce himself once he'd helped Mother and Father with anything they needed?

Father pulled into an empty drive and he and Mother got out, inspecting the front lawn and face of the house. They looked pleased.

Eddward unbuckled himself and carefully hopped out of the car, following his parents silently, taking in all the new things.

The inside was full of carefully labeled boxes. Their furniture had white sheets over them and upstairs, Eddward found his room, since it held the boxes with all his things.

He busied unpacking, placing his books on his new desk, standing on his tiptoes to reach over the edge. His baby cactus, labeled Jim, was placed in the window sill for some much needed sun. He found his label maker and got to labeling all his new things; his bed, closet, door, window, desk.

Once everything was in its carefully designated place, little Eddward make his way downstairs to help with Mother and Father. He searched the living room and then the kitchen and found a sticky note hanging off the counter at his eye-level.

Dear Eddward,

Mother and I have gone to purchase a few groceries for the week. Please unpack the bathroom amenities for the according bathrooms.

Love, Father

Eddward disposed of the sticky note and hurried to complete the task his Father left him before his parents returned home. He found the boxes labeled for each bathroom and unpacked and settled everything into its rightful place.

Just as he was finishing, there was a knock on the door. Eddward hurried down the stairs, careful to hold the banister like Mother always reminded him to, and answered on the third knock.

"Hello, I'm Eddward," he said as he opened the door. He smiled wide, showing off the gap in his teeth. The girl and boy from earlier were standing there.

The girl giggled. "Hello, Eddward. It's nice to meet you." She giggled some more and nudged the boy in his ribs.

"Yeah, hey."

"It's a pleasure to meet you both," Eddward said politely.

"I'm Nazz, by the way," the blonde-haired girl said. "And this is Kevin. Do you wanna come play with us? We could show you the other kids here? There's lots."

"I'm not sure I should leave, just yet, Nazz," Eddward said. "Mother and Father left to purchase a few groceries and I don't think it wise to leave without their acknowledgment."

Nazz frowned, but nodded, and Kevin shrugged.

"I'd love to accompany you later, though. I'm very excited to meet the acquaintance of my new neighbors.

"Just steer clear of the Eds," Kevin said.

Eddward didn't quite follow his train of thought. "Excuse me, Kevin, but what do you mean by that?"

Kevin shrugged. "The Eds. They live down the street. Their dorks."

"Well, even so, I think it's intriguing that there are others so nearby who share a variation of my name."

"Anyways," Nazz cut in. "We'll see you later, Eddward! You should totally come over once your parents get home!"


	4. Another Dork

Kevin watched from his front yard as a moving truck pulled into the cul-de-sac. It was huge and rumbled and shook the ground as it passed before stopping in front of the house across the street.

He watched as a little boy hopped out, followed by two adults. The little boy looked around and then followed his parents, all three going in to the house.

The red-head played with his ball some more, forgetting about the family until the door opened again almost an hour later. The little boy looked up and down the street before spotting him.

He wore a black hat and blue overalls. He had buck teeth and a stupid grin as he waved and scurried across the street, looking both ways twice before crossing.

"Hello, my name's Eddward, with two ds." Eddward stuck out his hand, his stupid grin still plastered across his face.

Kevin stared at him for a moment. He didn't shake hands and turned back to his ball. "Dork," he muttered under his breath.

Eddward's face fell and he retracted his hand. "I-It was nice to meet you," he said quietly before scurrying back across the street to his home.

The boy's parents were back outside, carrying boxes into the open door and Eddward slid between their legs, sticking close.

This went on for a while until two other boys down the street came outside. Eddward, seeing them, hesitantly went to greet them.

Kevin watched. Eddward introduced himself just the same and Ed and Eddy introduced themselves. Eddward seemed ecstatic that they all shared a similar name. Eddy just looked bored until the new kid shut up and he started talking about his latest scam involving Ed and a T.V.

The moving truck left late that afternoon. Eddward was back at his house with his parents and Kevin's mom was calling him inside for supper, asking if he'd met the new little boy across the street yet.


	5. Dinner at Kevin's House!

Kevin trudged across the street to Double D's house as the sun began to set. It was almost dinner time and he was starving, but no, his mother sent him over to the Vincent house to invite the dork over.

As the door, Kevin banged loudly, hoping to frighten the dork on the other side to alleviate some of his anger. There was a gasp and then the door swung open, Double D heaving.

"Good Lord, Kevin! You nearly gave me heart palpitations!" Collecting himself, Double D remembered his manners. "Would you like to come in? I can offer you a refreshment."

"Ah, nah, thanks. Uh, my mom asked me to invite you over for dinner."

"Really? That's very considerate of her." Double D smiled. "Then I accept. S-Should I bring something over? I can—"

"Nah, just come on. Everything's ready anyways."

Double D hurried to slip on his shoes and then followed Kevin across the street.

"T-Thank you very much, Mrs. Barr, for inviting me to dinner. It's lovely," Double D said once he was sat at the dinner table with the Barr family.

"Oh, no problem, dear, Kevin told me your parents are away a lot so I thought you could do with a good, home-cooked meal."

Kevin groaned and slipped in his seat, playing with the potatoes on his plate. Beside him, Double D sat perfectly straight, the epitome of table manners.

The two eldest Barrs made chitchat about work and Kevin and Double D ate in silence, glancing sideways at each other occasionally.

At dessert, Double D thanked Mrs. Barr once more and offered to do the dishes as thanks.

"Oh, don't worry about it, Eddward, you're a guest." Mrs. Barr smiled. "Now if only you could get Kevin to offer." She laughed as her son flushed and pulled his cap down.

"What was it your parents did again," Mr. Barr asked as the continued dessert.

"O-Oh! Um, Mother and Father are neurosurgeons."

Mr. Barr nodded, probably trying to remember what exactly a neurosurgeon was. Mrs. Barr took up the next question.

"Do you have any siblings, Eddward?"

"Oh, no. Mother and Father are very busy with their work so I don't think—a second child would only hinder them." He smiled softly.

"Kevin's an only child as well. If you're ever lonely in that big old house, feel free to come visit us," Mrs. Barr explained. "You're excellent company!"

Double D blushed and thanked her kindly. "W-Well, I think I'd best take my leave. I wouldn't want to overstay my welcome." Eddward got up from the table and thanked his hosts once more. "It was a lovely dinner, Mrs. Barr, thank you very much. And thank you for your hospitality as well."


	6. Mr Vincent in Room 304

Across the teacher's lounge, Mr. Barr stared with stalker-expertise at Mr. Vincent.

Four round tables, a counter and a printer machine stood between them, along with a few other teachers, but they didn't really matter to the P.E. Coach as he watched the black-haired Science teacher work on making copies of worksheets for his students.

The Fourth Grade Literature teacher, Miss Nazz, took a seat next to Mr. Barr. She watched silently for a few minutes, a sneaky smile on her face as she watched her friend stare unabashedly at the object of his affections.

She cleared her throat after a while.

"What?" Kevin said shortly. He still glanced back at Mr. Vincent through his periphery.

"Oh nothing," Nazz teased. "Just watching a dog drool over a bone."

Kevin huffed. "Whatever."

"Other than staring at Edd, what's up? Have the third graders finally turned your brain to mush?"

Mr. Barr chuckled. "As if. They're the best behaved out of all the brats.

Eddward finished with the copy machine and left the lounge, probably to organize the papers further. Kevin slumped back in his chair.

"You should just tell him already. If you don't hurry Nat will sink his claws in first," Nazz said as she sipped a drink.

Kevin growled. Nat, or Nathan, while one of his best friends, was also one of the most annoying people he knew. The receptionist was loud, crude, and not at all subtle in his half-assed attempts to seduce Mr. Vincent.

"That would never happen. Edd's too shy to be with Nat."

"But not to be with you? I seem to remember a certain red-haired young man stumbling into our apartment not too long ago, drunk and running his mouth about some 'hot-ass' he saw as he staggered home."

"Shut up," Kevin said, pulling the bill of his baseball cap down his face. "One time, Nazz."

"One time, in recent history," she corrected.

"Whatever."

"I'm telling you though, if you don't hurry up, he'll be gone and you'll regret it for the rest of your life."

"Ugh. Fine! I'll do it… Tomorrow." He got up and hurried to the gym then, saying something about setting up for the fifth grade.

After the last bell of the day let out and the chaos that was elementary release, Kevin made his way very slowly down the corridor, past the teacher's lounge, toward the science hall.

Even though he'd told Nazz he would talk to Eddward tomorrow, he'd somehow scrounged up the courage to do it after school. Somehow.

Down the hall, Mr. Vincent was outside his classroom, hanging up his student's recent science projects on the wall. He would bend down to pick up another project and thumbtack and as Kevin walked down the hall, he couldn't help but stare and maybe drool a little bit.

"H-Hey," he said as he came closer.

Mr. Vincent jumped, dropping the things in his hands. "Oh! Mr. Barr, you scared me. I thought you might have been Mr. Goldberg." He apologized and bent back down to pick up his things.

"Oh? Were you expecting him?" Kevin asked, hoping for a negative.

"No, actually. But Mr. Goldberg does seem to have a certain knack for sneaking up on me." He tacked another project. "I'm not sure why, but he's a bit touchy, if you understand."

Kevin shrugged and nodded. "Yeah, anyways, I came to ask if you had anything planned after work? Maybe you wanted to grab some dinner?"

"Dinner? Um, well I was hoping to go over my curriculum for the second semester tonight, but I suppose I could take a night off. It's good to clear one's head sometimes. What were you planning?" One last project was pinned up.

"Oh, um, I was feeling like something spicy tonight so maybe Mexican?"

Mr. Vincent smiled. "Alright. May I ask where it is you would like to dine?"

When Eddward's back was turned, Kevin smiled at the way he spoke. It was so formal, and dare he think it? Cute.

"Uh, maybe that little café thing on the other side of town? It's not the best, but it's good and not too noisy."

"I think that's sufficient. Should I ready myself to leave with you or were you planning to meet up at the restaurant?"

"Um, uh, We could carpool, if you want."


	7. Mr Vincent's Abhorrence

It was kind of weird, standing there, kissing Double D on his front porch. Not the kissing itself, actually. That had been going on for a few months, but the weird thing was that Kevin had never done it in front of the Latino's father.

Even with his eyes closed, Kevin could feel Double D's father's eyes drilling holes into him. That was odd in itself, though. Growing up, it seemed like he'd never met Double D's parents. They always seemed to be gone on some business trip or another. But now that Double D was older, now that they were all older, his parents were home more often and Kevin now understood that the sticky-note-writing parents were very protective of their offspring.

Kevin ended the kiss abruptly, getting too wigged out by the older man staring at them. He tried to focus on Double D, who was blushing and fidgeting and apologizing quietly for his father's behaviour.

"Don't feel too intimidated, Kevin," Double D said, giving a quick peck to the edge of Kevin's lips. "Father really isn't a violent man. The worst he would do is a stern talking to."

"Uh, yeah. I guess I should be going." He gave Double D another peck. "Bye Edd, M-Mr. Vincent."

Double D's father nodded sternly, placing a firm hand on his son's shoulder, leading him inside, probably to interrogate him on Kevin's behaviour and whether or not he had been a proper gentleman.

Before he shut the door though, he stared at Kevin in a different manner than the glares he'd been giving since the two had started going out.

"If I ever find out you've hurt my son, Mr. Barr, I can guarantee the pain will be reciprocated." Then he waved goodnight and shut the door, turning the lights out so Kevin had to stumble in the dark until he got to the sidewalk.


	8. Mama's Questions

"Oh,  _mi Bebé_. Tell Mother how your date went," Mother said as she sat Eddward down. She sputtered out a mixture of English and Spanish in her excitement in finally being able to sit down with her little  _hijo_.

"It was fine, Mother," Eddward said. He glanced back at the door where his father was still standing, the door ajar. Hopefully he wasn't lecturing Kevin too bad.

"I want details,  _Querido_. Your mother hasn't been around much, but she is now and she wants details."

Eddward giggled at his mother. She really could be a handful now that she was home. He gave in, though. "Kevin took me out to dinner, Mother, nothing fancy, but nothing too casual, either."

"You didn't have any trouble, I hope?"

"If you are insinuating that the wait staff were uncomfortable serving a homosexual couple, then no, Kevin and I had no trouble."

His mother smiled. " _Bueno_ , _bueno_.  _¿Te beso de buenas noches?_ "

Eddward blushed bright red. "Mother! I implore you don't ask such things!"

" _Sólo puedo pedirle a su padre, después_."

Sighing, Eddward gave in again. " _Si_ , he did, Mother, if you must know. And he did so in front of Father, who I am sure will embellish the details to fit his preconceived ideals of Kevin to you when you ask him later."

Eddward's mother smiled. "I just tease, Eddward, dear. But you must know I am happy for you. Your father and I weren't here when we should have been and I can't excuse our actions, but I can say that despite our mistakes, you have turned out to be a fine young man and I am happy for you and your choices." She kissed his forehead, lifting his ski hat to do so.

Father came in then, falling into his chair with grace. His face was still stern as it had been when he was glaring at Kevin. He cleared his throat and nodded his head to his wife and son.

"Oh, dear, Eddward was just enlightening me of his lovely evening out. This Kevin boy sounds like a lovely young man." Mother smiled at her husband and winked at her son. "I hope we can invite him to dinner soon to have a formal meeting. The porch is no place for a proper get-together."


	9. Cirque de Ed

"Come one, come all; to Cirque de Ed!"

Eddward, currently the tightrope act in his friend Eddy's latest scheme to con money out of their neighbors, was trembling as he was outfitted in a spandex suit, standing on a ladder before a length of rope precariously tied across the alley. Surely he wasn't actually expected to cross that, right?

Some of the cul-de-sac children began wandering over, pockets lined with their allowance. Eddy kept shouting about all the hastily made attractions.

A little further down the alley, Eddward's other friend, Ed, was readying himself to jump from a tree branch into a kiddy pool. Nothing good could come from that, Eddward was sure of.

Eddward caught sight of a red-hatted, red-headed boy, walking along with the school heart-throb. His shoulder's were slumped and his hands were shoved into his pockets, but he was listening to what Nazz was talking about with mild interest.

"The Eds sure have outdone themselves this time, right Kev?" The blonde asked.

"Whatever," Kevin responded, not at all amazed by the poorly put-together props.

Eddward's knees knocked together and he nearly tumbled off the ladder. He steadied himself as Eddy led his first customers over to him.

"Now watch and be amazed as Crazy Edd walks across the rickety rope bridge!" Eddy, wearing an impromptu Ring Leader's hat, lead over Sarah, Jimmy, Nazz, and Kevin, all of them waiting for Eddward to do something.

Not entirely sure of the structure of the rope, Edd carefully took a step forward, off the ladder. He didn't know when he'd thrown all rhyme and reason to the wind, letting himself lark about like his dear friend, Ed.

With the first step safely balanced on the thin rope, Eddward carefully took another step, abandoning the safety of the ladder, but that was when everything went south, quite literally, for Eddward.

As soon as his second foot left the ladder-top, Eddward tipped forward as the rope wobbled and broke under his weight. He had enough time to yelp and clamp his eyes shut as he fell.

But instead of the rocky dirt of the alley, Eddward was slumped forward, his feet on the ground, albeit a little wobbly on their own.

He peeked open his eyes and found Kevin holding him up, a scowl on his face.

"God, Eddy," he spat. "Can't you go a day without hurting your own friends?" He hefted Eddward up onto his own feet and started sweeping up his sleeves, advancing on Eddy, who was shouting something back as a retort.

Ed came bounding up then, wrapping Edd into a chest-constricting hug. He blubbered something about Kevin saving Double D's life as he cried into his friend's ski hat.

"Okay, Ed, you can let me down now," Eddward cooed to his large friend. "I'm fine now."

Cirque de Ed ended with Eddy sporting a black eye and Eddward now with a slight phobia of tightropes and ladders.

After pounding Eddy, Kevin came back over to Ed and Edd.

"You okay, man?" he asked, hands now back in his pockets and his sleeves back around his wrists.

"Oh, yes. Perfectly stable now, Kevin. Thank you."

"Alright." Kevin lightly thumped Eddward's shoulder who stumbled into Ed, and left again with Nazz, who was now complaining about Eddy with Sarah.

Eddward held his thrumming arm and smiled a bit, ducking his head.

"Why is your face as red as Princess Zork's, Double D?" Ed asked suddenly. Edd pulled his ski hat over his eyes and groaned.

"No reason, Ed. Let's get Eddy home and apply an ice compact now so the swelling doesn't get so bad."


	10. The Walking Edd

"Huuurgh."

Another one was coming! Kevin tightened the grip on his trusty baseball bat and turned around slow, careful not to make too sudden a movement. The Zeke's seemed to respond to fast movement.

"Grrhh."

Behind him, Nazz gasped. Kevin turned back to her, breaking one of his only rules; never show your back to a Zeke.

"K-Kevin!" Nazz whispered, frightened. She held a terrible look on her face, tears swelling up in her eyes and she pointed at the zombie.

"What, Nazz?"

"Look!"

Kevin turned back around, getting ready to bust the skull of the undead human, but stopped as soon as he saw what exactly was inching near him.

Purple jeans, orange shirt, black ski hat… "Eddward?"

"Hnnrgh."

"Oh God…" The bat fell from his grip, clinking to the ground with a metallic clunk.

"Kevin…" Nazz said behind him, coming up to place a hand on his shoulder. "I'm so—"

"No." The red-head watched as the Zeke, as Eddward stumbled towards him slowly. It, he moaned and opened his mouth, black drool dripping down his chin, onto the floor. His gums were exposed, his lips torn and ripped apart.

The usually neat-freak boy that Kevin had learned to love and care for before all of this had happened, was now dirty. Blood flaked off his shirt, his pants were ripped and fall from his hips slowly. His skin was grey and his veins were clearly visible. His eyes, though… His eyes had no pupils; white film covered the blue colour they really were.

"Kevin, we have to leave. He'll get us if we don't."

Kevin dropped down to pick up the bat he'd dropped. "I have to do something first."

"No, Kevin, you don't have to do that. We can just leave and if there's a cure, we can give it to him and Double D will turn back to normal. You don't have to do this."

Kevin didn't listen, he shook off her hand, and walked forward, towards the hollow shell of Eddward Vincent. He raised his arms over his head, looking into the murky white eyes of his dork and then slammed the bat down.


	11. Mama Edd

"Oh, filthy, filthy, filthy."

Kevin glanced up from the sports section of the morning's newspaper. Across from him, his husband sat at the edge of his chair, a spoon of mushy organic homemade baby food dripping onto the table. Their child, little baby Jim, was cooing and drooling and not at all letting his father feed him his breakfast.

"Filthy, filthy, filthy," Kevin heard Eddward murmur again under his breath.

Kevin sighed, setting down the paper. "Okay, give me the spoon, Mommy."

"What?"

"You're talking to yourself, now let me feed Jim and you go clean something."

Eddward practically threw the spoon at his husband and ran from the room (most likely to the bathroom to clean his hands and change his shirt as the cuffs were stained green.

The red-head chuckled as he took Eddward's seat, picking up the spoon and stuffing it in his son's mouth, yanking it back before he could clamp down and waiting for him to swallow.

"Of course your Daddy wouldn't be able to feed you without freaking out," he cooed at the baby. "He's anal retentive, you know. Hate's germs and dirt." Kevin spooned some more mush and fed it to Jim. "Now you have to promise me you'll make all the messes you can while your Daddy is around. Track in dirt, throw your food, don't wash behind your ears."

"You'd better not be corrupting our child, Kevin Barr," Eddward said suddenly, causing Kevin to drop the small bowl of baby food all over the floor. Jim burst out laughing, green mush and drool running down his chin.

"What? What? No! We're just bonding over breakfast." Kevin hurried to grab a rag before Edd could go into complete housewife mode and mop the entire house. "Man time!"

Eddward sighed. "As long as you aren't teaching our child horrendous manners." His eye twitched a little when Kevin hastily wiped up the food and left streaks under the chairs.


	12. Kevin's Vexation

Everything Edd did was irksome. His stupid hat, his dorky smile and gap tooth, and especially his dumb mannerisms. They way he had to repeat things multiple times.

"Oh, filthy, filthy, filthy." "Sleepy, sleepy, sleepy." "Pant, pant, pant!"

It drove Kevin up the wall for Christ's sake!

The annoying buzz of the alarm clock woke him up as usual and Kevin slid out of bed, trying to ignore the mumbled, "Sleepy, sleepy, sleepy," as he found his pants. Sometimes he just wanted to sock Eddward in his little mouth.

After showering and stumbling through their small, dark apartment, Kevin made himself breakfast using the carefully and obsessively labeled items in the kitchen. Sometimes, just to spite Edd, Kevin would misplace things purposely. Of course that would earn him an earful, but Kevin had no problem ignoring him for something else.

Eddward stumbled out into the kitchen as Kevin was rinsing his dishes, trying to hurry out the door for work. He mumbled a good morning and sat at the table, his head in his arms. He would clean the table after Kevin left, he knew.

As the red-head was tugging on his shoes, he heard Eddward from the kitchen. "Good bye, Kevin," he said sleepily. "Have a good day, I love you."

And as Kevin nodded to him and shut the door, his brown bag lunch made by Eddward the night before with a little note on his napkin like a mother would do for her son, Kevin couldn't help but feel terrible for feeling such harsh things towards his love.


	13. Rise of the Titans

Because of the up rise of Titan attacks on the outer wall, all of-age children in the two outer walls were subject to the training corps to join the garrisons or even, for the top ten percent, the military police brigade.

With the rising number of Titan attacks, the commissioned military was also losing members just as quick, whether it is sacrifice on the battle field or abandonment into the third most inner wall to escape the fighting.

And as much as Eddward wished he could do the same, to escape the training corps, to fail the tests and be forced off to pull weeds and potatoes, he couldn't ever find the courage or strength to abandon his friends to their doom without him.

He wasn't a fighter. He was a pacifist, a words man who never raised his fist to anyone. Because of this, he was beat up, but Eddward always stayed true to his beliefs.

That was why, when the ceremony of the 156th training corps was being held and as the top ten percent of the students were being called and all his friends names were shouted into the microphone, Eddward decided he hated the Titans. He hated them for condemning all his friends to a short life on the battle field. And he hated them for not having a true reason for their attacks. The random melee of screaming humans as they scrambled to escape before a Titan could scoop them up and crush them, eat them, kill them.

They made little, pacifist Eddward truly hate them with all his might, wanting them dead and gone. And he would make sure they all fell even if it killed him in doing so.

As long as his friends were kept safe, he would try anything to destroy the plague that had been storming down on the humans for these thousands of years.


	14. One More Try

The 3D Maneuver gear training was highly embarrassing. Either you got it right the first time, getting praised by your peers and a nod of acceptance by the captain, or you flopped this way and that and onto your face in the dirt and were laughed and shouted at.

Eddward had a good understanding of physics and weight distribution, but theory was a completely different thing to actual practice.

His turn was coming up and Eddward worried silently to himself, going over equations and interferences in his head. He had to get this right! He had to!

"Barr, Kevin!"

Eddward's head shot up, looking towards the red-head who was hooking himself up in the practice gear. He had his red cap on and a smirk across his face. He signaled his ready and was lifted into the air. Effortlessly, Kevin was able to balance himself upright. He swayed gently as he shifted his weight left and right, ready to move at a moment's notice.

He barked out a laugh and was let down, getting a nod from the captain and was surrounded by his group of peers. Eddward sighed helplessly and stepped up to the contraction as his name was called out.

Taking a few deep breaths, Eddward nodded his head to the two aides and they began lifting him up. He started off well, keeping his balance and swaying gently if he felt he was leaning too far in one direction.

But then, suddenly, Eddward fell forward, losing any balance and smashing his face into the red dirt. Snickers could be heard all around him as he was unhooked and shouted at to practice lest he be failed and shipped off to the fields to work in the sun.

Holding his bleeding nose, Eddward kept his head down, tears swimming, and maneuvered around the crowd until he was in the back, away from everyone else.

He was so stupid. Of course he wouldn't be able to conquer the 3D Maneuver gear. He was Eddward for God's sake! Little, weak, pathetic Eddward. Everyone from his village knew him as the egghead who was never seen with his head outside of a book.

How was he supposed to keep his friends safe if he couldn't even make it through training? He was a failure and a weakling…

"Hey! Hey, you!"

Oh great…

Eddward lifted his head enough to see who was calling for him.

"Hey, dude, the cap's been calling for you. If you don't get up there, he'll totally kick you out of training, for sure."

Kevin held out a hand, lifting him up and leading him back to the front of the crowd. Eddward wiped his nose on his sleeve, promising himself to disinfect it later that night; being in the military was by no means an excuse to be sloppy.

"You're gonna use different gear. The cap said yours looks a little off."

Eddward, like a robot, went about unhooking the gear around his waist, letting it drop to the ground. He was shoved forward and handed a new gear and was hooked up once more to embarrass himself in front of everyone.

He was lifted up and Eddward, determined not to be yelled at again, focused on his balance distribution, swaying with the breeze and trying desperately not to mess up again. He couldn't fail anymore!


	15. Birdie Birdy

Kevin liked to call it bird food; to tease him and call him a girl, but Eddward just could not find it in himself to actually sit down with Kevin and partake in consuming the same amounts of grease and empty calories that his red-headed love did.

His salads and the occasional vegetable soup were perfectly fine, thank you very much.

But time and time again, when Kevin took Edd out for dinner or lunch, he would always nag or tease him about his food choice.

"If you choose something different one time sometime soon, then I'll have one of those salads you always go one about," Kevin said one day as he and Edd walked to their morning Biology lecture. He'd tipped Edd's beanie over his eyes before hand, making sure to have the boy's attention.

"Oh, is that so, Kevin? And is this a bet I hear forming?"

Kevin smirked. "Maybe. I just don't think you could eat a whole eight ounce steak in one sitting."

"Is that so? Well, I don't think you are able to consume a healthy salad and be satisfied."

"Well, I think we have our bet, Dork." Kevin held out his hand, shaking it with Edd's. "Winner…"

"Winner gets the satisfaction of being coined victorious as well as…" Eddward smiled, his eyes shifting and making Kevin rile up with excitement.

"Winner also gets to watch as the loser parades through the pavilion in a rabbit suit."

Kevin burst out laughing. "Oh, you'd look adorable!"

"Ah, ah," Edd wagged his finger. "Don't assume things, Kevin."


	16. The Aristocat

Eddward licked at his paws, completing his daily cleaning ritual. The sun was setting and as he sat in front of the window as he did every night, Eddward took the time to clean his fur before he would climb into bed with his human.

Just as he was wiping at his ears, eyes closed and vulnerable, a tap at the window sounded, causing Eddward to jump up with a yowl.

Outside, on the dirty window ledge, a stray tomcat sat, staring at him.

Eddward hissed quietly, knowing full well the cat couldn't get to him with the glass pane between them, but the principle still stood; this cat was encroaching on his home.

"Go away, stray!" He said, flicking his tail with agitation. "My human won't like it if he sees you."

The tom on the other side laughed, pawing lightly on the window. "Yeah, yeah, toots." He flicked his own tail mockingly.

"Leave, I implore you!" Eddward's ears lowered, his protest at this new cat's presence becoming known.

"Why would I leave when I have this lovely sight sitting right in front of me?"

Eddward scoffed. "I'll have you know that watching others while they bathe is quite rude."

"I'll have you know, toots, that bathing in front of a window is only grounds for someone to start watching."

His whiskers bristled as he stood, getting ready to hop down from the desk that kept him level with the window. "Not if the one bathing is in their home, trying to enjoy a lovely sunset." With that he turned and hopped down, leaving the stray cat to watch as he climbed a set of stairs with a human.

The next evening, the stray showed up again.

Eddward hissed a bit louder this time.

"Calm down, toots," he said with a laugh. "I wasn't watching you bathe this time. I played 'gentleman' and waited for the molly to finish her routine."

"I'll have you know, I am no molly," Eddward sniffed, turning up his nose.

"Coulda fooled me, toots."

"I have no obligation to display myself for some stray tommiecat."

The tom laughed again. "You sure are a sassy one. House cats usually aren't so sparky. Good to know the humans haven't taken away all your traits yet."

"The humans haven't taken anything of mine, thank you very much. They've provided for me and I care for them very much. I would appreciate if you would not insult them in front of me."

"Toots, they've collared you. You're nothing but some cute thing they get a kick out of every now and again."

Eddward didn't answer, just flicked his tail and hopped away from the window, climbing the stairs like the night before.

"Why must you insist on returning every night?" Eddward asked as the stray hopped up onto the ledge.

"I told you the first night. There was something to watch on the other side."

Eddward glared at him.

"And, maybe because I've never seen a cat with a coat quite like yours," he tried. Eddward didn't buy it.

"If you are so interested in knowing me, why have you for the past week failed to give me a simple name?"

"Dang, I dunno, toots. The name's Kevin."

"I see, well… It's nice to meet you, Kevin."

"Aren't you going to tell me yours?"

Oh, of course, excuse me. My name is Eddward, with two ds." Eddward stood to show his tags to the cat on the other side. Kevin chuckled.

"Was that your name or did the humans call you that?"

Eddward huffed. "If you are going to criticize it, I can always find another window that you aren't able to reach."

"Okay, okay! Fine. It's a nice name, Edd."

"Eddward."

"Toots."

"Haven't you any family or friends to bother instead of myself?"

"Hell if I know." Kevin was sat on the ledge once more as he watched Eddward lay on the desk, both their tails swaying gently.

"I'd appreciate if you do not use just crude language, Kevin."

"You're such a prude, Edd."

"Eddward."

"Toots."

Eddward sighed, lowering his head onto his paws and closing his eyes. "You have such a way to give me quite a headache."

"You're just too easy to rile up."

They were quiet for a while. The sun was almost set and Eddward would be leaving soon for bed.

"So, when am I going to meet you without this stupid glass in the way?"

Eddward looked up Kevin. "Who says we are meeting somewhere?"

"No one. I'm asking."

"Oh… Well… I'm sure I could convince my human to allow me a chance to explore outside someday, I—"

"Wait. You've never been outside?"

"N-No, but I don—"

"What the hell is wrong with those humans?!"

"N-Nothing! They jus—"

"Just, nothing! As soon as I can, I'm breaking you out so you can see all you're missing out on."

Eddward squirmed. "I don't think I'm all comfortable with that proposal, Kevin." But the tom was gone.

"I don't think I'm very comfortable doing this. What if my coat gets dirty? My paws will get muddy! Burs will catch in my fur!"

"Relax, toots," Kevin said as he scratched at the edge of the ledge. "Getting down and dirty is part of the adventure."

"I don't know…" Eddward paced back and forth in front of the window.

"It's just a little whining until the human understands what you want. They can't be that dumb. Go on. Give me a good one!"

Eddward sighed and took a deep breath. He let it out and took another. "O-Okay." Taking a third deep breath, Eddward let out a loud yowl, getting the attention of his human. The man came up to him, petting his head and stroking under his chin. Eddward purred and nuzzled into the contact, forgetting for a moment what he was supposed to be doing.

Suddenly he jumped back, yowling again and rubbing against the window. He paced back and forth and it only took a few moments before his human unlatched the window and Eddward slipped outside.

His first experience, he fell off the ledge. Face first, head over heels. From the bushes, Kevin laughed at him. Eddward stood up, shaking his head and licking his forelegs, already feeling all the germs crawling all over him.

"I still don't like this," he complained.

Kevin led Eddward out of the yard that Eddward had grew up watching from one side of a window. It was all so frightening. Loud, foreign noises were around every turn and the smells were completely different from his home.

Down an alley, another cat was sitting atop a garbage can. Eddward cringed, knowing that the humans threw their waste in them. How could that cat stomach sitting on it?

"Hey, Nat!" Kevin called. The third cat turned around, flicking his tail and hopping down in front of the two others.

"'ey, Kev! Long time no see, eh?" He slung his tail under Kevin's nose, making him sneeze. "Oh? And who's this cutie?" He stepped up to Eddward and bowed down. He purred and sniffed at Eddward.

"O-Oh, um, I'm Eddward," Eddward greeted shyly. "It's nice to meet you."

"Ooh! Where'd you snag this one? I want one!" Nat circled the housecat, sneaking a sniff of his backside before Eddward could stop him. He hissed at the stray, fluffing up his tail in a warning.

"Calm down, Nat. I'm just showing Edd here around town. He's never set foot out of human's house."

"Never been—!" Nat whistled. "That's tough, man. But Kev here knows all the cool cat areas. You're in good paws."

Nat leapt back up to the trash can and started digging in it. Kevin nudged Eddward and the two continued down the alley.

Every so often, Eddward would stop in his tracks and clean his paws, murmuring about the filthy road and germs. Kevin smirked and would stop with him, waiting patiently for his toots to continue on.

"Where exactly is it that you are talking me, Kevin," Eddward asked. "We've been walking for a while and not once have you said anything about our destination."

"Who says we're going anywhere? Can't just taking a stroll be enough? Enjoy the sunshine and the birds, toots."

Eddward flicked his tail. "This whole time I've been thinking you had a place in mind. If we are just going to amble about aimlessly, then I would prefer to do it at least in my own yard." He stopped to clean his paws again.

"But you stare at that yard all day. Doesn't it get boring? Haven't you ever wanted to go see something new?"

Eddward thought a moment. "Well, I do have to say that meeting you has been very refreshing to my normal routine, but other than that, I think I would prefer to stay in the safety of my human's home."

Kevin sighed. "Alright. If you can't handle the outside anymore…" He flipped around and started back towards Eddward's home. "You comin', molly?"

The housecat ruffled his coat, hissing softly. "I am not a molly, Kevin!" He ran to catch up with the tomcat.

The two cats sat on the front porch of Eddward's home, sitting on the swing chair. The sun was beginning to set and the warm light felt good on their fur.

"Well, Edd, did you have fun? Do you still prefer the inside to the out?"

"I did have an enjoyable time, thank you, Kevin. And thank you for putting up with me during that time. I know I can be somewhat annoying and complain a bit, but – thank you."

"No prob, toots."

"Kevin?"

"Yeah?"

"It's Eddward."

"Edd."

"Eddward."

"Toots." The tommiecat leaned over and bumped noses before hopping off the swing chair and jumping over the fence.

Eddward could still feel the cool bump and wrinkled his nose. What was that for? He brushed his whiskers and smiled shyly to himself, looking at the fence where Kevin had disappeared off to. He stayed outside a bit longer before calling for his human to let him back in.


	17. The End before a New Beginning

Kevin stared at the blood as it spread every direction around him. Edd lay on the ground at his feet, still. The hat that Eddward held dear was tossed to the side, forgotten in the moment as its owner lay frozen in time.

"D-Double D…?"

Kevin dropped down to his knees, crouching over Edd as he gently touched his neck, his wrists, his chest. Tears fell down his face, washing his view of Edd away into a blurred miasma of colour. His throat, ironically, was dry and he choked as he let out a cry.

"You stupid dork," he mumbled, carefully brushing Edd's bangs from his face. "Stupid…"

The knife, the who cause of this completely avoidable situation, was lying just next to Edd as if it were innocent, as if it just happened to be there when Double D did… this…

Kevin held the knife, flecks of blood along the ridges. He stared teary-eyed at it, glaring and wishing death upon it, even though he knew it was just an object. Just a stupid object that Double D had…

Kevin lay down next to Edd, his clothes absorbing in the dork's blood, soaking in the spilled essence of his love. The knife, still in his hand, cold and heavy, was set down for just a moment. The red-head reached blindly for the hat that he wanted to return to its rightful place atop Double D's head. He picked the knife back up after that.

Carefully, just as he had been when touching Edd, Kevin recreated the jagged slices across his stomach and then, with a shaky hand, he made a similar slice along his neck. Now he and Double Dork matched.


	18. Just Another Day Goes By

Edd woke up in his silent bedroom. His ant farm was sitting on his desk, just as it had been when he'd finally turned in for the night. He reached up behind him, grabbing for the two dog tag chains he wore round his neck. Then, after adjusting his hat, Edd got up to use the facilities and begin his day anew.

He bypassed the empty kitchen and ignored the empty sitting room, making his way to the empty garage to pick up his science project that was due first thing that morning. With the project safely stowed away in his bag, Edd jogged to school, keeping the time and counting his steps.

He promptly turned in his project and then meandered down the hall to his locker, keeping one inconspicuous eye out for a tuft of red hair and big, nerdy glasses taped up one-too many times.

A familiar blue-dyed head was leaning against his locker and Edd nodded towards Marie as he did the combination.

"Have you seen 'im yet?" Marie asked, not looking up from her cell-phone, tapping away at the keys and smirking to herself. Edd rummaged through his thoroughly organized locker, looking for his textbooks and pencils.

"I don't think it seems to look as if I've seen him."

Marie scoffed. "Whatever, just don't give the kid a heart attack when you do. You have a way of, you know, intimidating the little ones." She waved over her shoulder, still tapping away at her phone. Edd stalked off to class.

Kevin woke up to his alarm clock blaring and the smell of bacon and pancakes wafting up from the kitchen. He gathered the notes he'd been studying before falling asleep and stuffed them in his bag, running a hand through his hair and racing down the stairs to catch his dad and mom before they left for work.

After breakfast, Kevin hopped on his bicycle and pedaled to school, going over a list in his head of homework he had to turn in.

Once he crossed the threshold of school, Kevin quickened his pace to his locker and to Nazz. He got his textbooks and headed down the music hall to find his blonde companion with her nose stuck in her cell phone.

"Hey, Nazz!" Kevin called, pushing his glasses back up his nose; he'd need to get a new pair soon because the old ones had been broken multiple times.

"Oh! Hey, Kev!" Nazz was sat against the wall across from the entrance to the orchestra room, her flute case laid over her legs. "What's up?"

"Nothing much." Kevin sat down beside her. "Anyone else here yet?"

"Nat's in the hall taping his drum sticks. He decided banging them against the lockers would be a good idea. Some senior snapped them in two."

"That sucks," Kevin commented idly; he'd pulled out his science book, looking over some notes before first period. "Hey," he said suddenly. "You haven't seen, Edd, have you?" Kevin whispered the name, as if saying it out loud would summon the boy in question.

"Nah. Marie said he's at his locker, asking about you." Nazz smiled dumbly, a slight blush across her cheeks. Kevin really didn't want to know.

"Good. If I can dodge him for today, it'd be great."


	19. Something Seems Familiar But

Kevin jerked awake in his bed. His breath was ragged, but calming down as he wiped at his sweaty forehead. He'd had that dream again.

Quickly pulling out a journal from the draw of his nightstand, along with his glasses, Kevin flipped on the lamp and opened up the book, jotting down everything he could remember. It wasn't much, just like every other time he had the dream, just little flashes here or there, never any concrete memories.

There had been the colour red, Kevin remembered. Lots of red, almost everything had been red. He remembered flashes of other colours, but was not able to make anything of them.

A jawbreaker rolled across his mind suddenly and Kevin wrote it down. There'd only been one, just sitting in the red. Those tooth-decaying candies had been a big part of his childhood.

Not being able to think of anything else, Kevin flipped back a few pages and read.

Along with the red and the jawbreaker, Kevin had seen in the same dream on countless times, a potted plant of some kind, that and notes and various types of sports balls. He couldn't think of where those things came from; neither he nor his family really used sticky notes and Kevin was not very interested in athletics.

"What does it mean, though?" Kevin thought aloud to himself. He rubbed at his eyes and face, tossing the book back onto the stand and laying back in bed. The dream had to have some meaning. Why else would he keep having the same exact one nearly every night?

He shook his head and decided to think about it some other time.

Some other time turned into the next morning, though, as Kevin once again darted out of bed, clutching his chest and slapping a hand over his mouth.

His eyes wide and adjusting to the dark, he fumbled around until he found his glasses and the lamp switch. He pulled out the journal and stared at the blank page.

Had he really…?

Quickly, before he forgot, Kevin wrote down with a shaky hand, 'Kissed Edd.'

Kissed Edd. Eddward Vincent, that bullying bighead!

Even though he knew he ought to feel embarrassed of having such a dream about his bully, Kevin could not push his anger down at the beanie-wearing numbskull.

How dare that meany mess with his dreams?!


	20. Cruise Ship Fun

Eddward watched as the scenery molded from the quiet suburban area he and Kevin lived in to the city and finally the sandy beaches of the Atlantic. The deep blue waves and colourful sailboats were a nice change to the compact cars and sidewalks that Eddward was so used to.

"Are we spending a day at the beach? Oh dear, I hope you didn't forget the sunscreen," Eddward said, looking to the driver's seat at Kevin.

Kevin smirked. "It's in the bad in the trunk. But that's not what we're gonna do."

Eddward knit his brows. Then what could they possibly do? Surely they weren't going to the water theme park? Kevin knew Eddward absolutely refused to participate in those bacteria-infested germ holes.

"You'll just have to wait and see, Edd." Eddward gave Kevin a confused look, but then went back to watching the waves crash onto the shoreline. What could Kevin possibly have planned for his birthday?

Suddenly, after stopping at a red light, Kevin turned left, away from the beach and Eddward was forced to watch the sidewalks and cars once more. There were women milling about in sundresses and sandals and children running around in shorts and tank tops, trying to relieve themselves of the heat.

"We're almost there," Kevin said quietly. Eddward looked at him once more. He looked ahead and looked for something that could possibly entertain them for the day. There were local restaurants and trinket shops and a gas station here or there, but nothing Eddward thought Kevin would stop at. Their car just zipped by everything anyways.

"Kevin, I'm not entirely sure what you have planned, but could you at least give me some sort of hint?"

"As if, Edd. That would take the surprise out of it. This is your birthday present and it's gonna be special and a surprise until we get there."

Eddward smiled to himself, immensely happy that Kevin was thoughtful enough to go through so much planning for just his birthday. He would have to make sure to do the same for his own.

Kevin parked in a parking garage and Eddward stepped out, still unsure what exactly they were doing. He watched as Kevin picked up two bags and then handed a smaller one to Eddward that contained sun screen and other accessories of the like. Eddward picked through it, trying to figure out if anything could be incriminating and give away what they were doing. He found a sunhat and placed it atop his head. It would do no good to burn his neck or face.

Kevin set out for the exit and Eddward followed, bursting with questions that were given no sufficient answers.

The two walked side-by-side, Eddward wrapping an arm through one of Kevin's. He looked around at the mess of people and scooters that zoomed up and down the sidewalks and streets. He stared at the old buildings, wondering what they could have looked like in their hay-day.

Kevin tugged him in a different direction and suddenly, Eddward was face to face with a huge ship with brightly coloured flags and banners and tons of people boarding and unboarding.

He blushed and smiled to himself, glancing over to Kevin who kept on walking. They got into a line and soon Kevin was checking in, flashing tickets and he and Eddward were boarding the cruise ship.

Once their room was shut and the bags were carelessly dumped on the floor, Eddward pounced on Kevin, wrapping him in a hug and showered him in kisses, thanking him profusely for the opportunity to see the sea and whatever else Kevin had planned for them.

Kevin, flushed and breathing heavily, welcomed him and welcomed the incoming affections from his usually hesitant-and-shy-in-the-bedroom boyfriend.


	21. Open Sails

The first night of the cruise did not end as smoothly as Kevin had hoped. He'd planned on surprising Eddward with a birthday cruise, getting some kind of sexual favour out of it before exploring the ship before it set sails. Then they would eat dinner and then Kevin and Eddward would end the day watching the ocean and then have some great sea sex.

But the day hadn't gone at all how he'd planned. Not at all.

First, after Eddward had hugged and kissed him, there had been no thank-you-blow-job or even hand job. Eddward had stood up and began applying his usual amount of sunscreen over his arms and shoulders, insisting Kevin do the same.

Then they had ventured out onto the deck and found an old couple playing shuffleboard and a few children running around with a ball. There were no real sails, just large propellers and two smoke stacks that weren't really smoke stacks.

They had lain out in the sun on a few chairs, waiting for the horn to blow, signaling the passengers and other ships that they were about to head out of port. Eddward kept close to Kevin, shy in his new environment, but still excited as a little boy.

Near dinner time, Eddward got sick. He'd run to a bathroom and promptly thrown up into a toilet, curled around the bowl and hugging the seat. That was odd behaviour for the germaphobe, but Kevin knew it must have been seasickness and that it would pass once Eddward got used to the gentle almost nonexistent rocking of the ship.

The initial sickness had passed, but Eddward refused to leave for dinner, saying he couldn't stomach anything and stayed in bed, a trashcan next to it ready just in case. Eddward insisted Kevin go eat something and so he had, he'd left to grab something quick and then came back to find Eddward sleeping, a pillow over his head and the blankets cocooned around him. At least, he noted thankfully, the trashcan was empty.

The second day, Eddward was still a little woozy, but the ship would be docking soon at a port on an island not far from the mainland. Kevin would take Eddward out and they would forget about the illness and have a good time.

The island, it turned out, seemed to have a large population of stray cats. Kevin really wished he'd done his research better. He hated cats. Their first experience with one of the paradoxical felines, they had been walking on a semi-quiet sidewalk toward what looked like a nice café.

The cat had strut out of an alley for all it was worth, looking as if it owned the damn island. Kevin had been tempted to kick it, but Eddward stooped down and pet the furry monster. The cat purred and nuzzled his fingers and glared up at Kevin. Eddward swiped his hands with some anti-bacterial soap and they were on their way again.

This happened maybe three more times, every single cat glaring at Kevin (one even daring to hiss at him) while Eddward pet them and commented on how friendly they were.

Once they got back on the ship and were sailing for another island and Kevin and Edd were lain out in chairs once more, the two soaking up some much needed sun, Kevin decided to ask what Eddward wanted to do since the hat-clad boy had just been following Kevin around since they'd left the house.

"Oh, I don't know," Eddward said. "I was looking up what the next island has in store for us on my phone, though. It seems there is a small nature preserve with historical value. I'm sure it would be nice to see and take in."

Kevin chuckled. "As long as you don't take any notes. This is your birthday present and I won't have you learning on it."

Eddward laughed too. "Good thing for you I did not think to bring my notebook with me then." He leaned over and kissed Kevin and whispered, "Thank you."


	22. A Day in the Life of an Edd

As a young man of three-and-a-half years, Eddward Vincent liked to pride himsewf in his pewfect dispway of disipwene.

He cleaned his room every day and fed his baby cacti plant, Jim, and he even sometimes made his own lunch, with his mother's supervision of course.

They lived in a high-rise apartment at the very top of the building and Eddward sometimes had trouble with the stairs (because his parents disliked the elevator, saying it caused laziness).

In the morning, after waking up, Eddward and his mother would each take a bath while Father went off to work at The Come-penny. Then they would have breakfast and clean the kitchen and then do the laundry together. Eddward was a whiz at sock-folding, his mother liked to say.

After that, they would walk down the stairs and go to the grocery store to pick up things for dinner. Then they would walk all the way back up the steps and put the things away.

At noon, Eddward would make his lunch while his mother helped and made her own. They would watch the nature channel on the T.V. and maybe read a book while they waited for Father to come home.

At five, Mother and Eddward started dinner and at five-thirty, Father came home, hanging his tie on the coat rack and slipping his shoes off at the door. He would kiss Mother and tickled Eddward and then they would all sit at the table and eat dinner while Father talked about his day at The Come-penny.

When dinner was cleaned up and Eddward had his second bath and was in his pajamas, Father would come into Eddward's room and read from one of his chapter books until he fell asleep.


	23. Play Pet

When the gentle summer breeze shifted, Kevin got a whiff of something yummy.

Ears perked and tail rose high, Kevin bounded from the back yard to the front in search of the delicious smell. Maybe it was food?!

But instead of a yummy steak from his master, Kevin found a feline cleaning his fur, sitting along the fence surrounding his yard. Kevin broke into a run, barking and growling at the cat. Oh, how he hated cats!

The cat jumped and fell backwards off the fence into the other yard. Kevin huffed and nodded happily. That was Cats 0; Kevin 15.

"Oh, dear. Oww."

As Kevin was making his way back to the back yard, he heard the cat moan from the other side of the fence.

"Oh dear, oh my."

Kevin growled for good measure and he heard the cat gasp.

"O-Oh dear! Um, please don't bite me!" The cat called from behind the fence. "I didn't know there was a dog here."

"Well, now you do so scat!" He barked sharply.

The cat leapt back up onto the fence and looked down at the dog curiously. "Oh, I won't be leaving anytime soon. This is my new home." He waved his paw over to the other yard. "My new owners just brought me home and I was just acquainting myself with my new surroundings."

"Well, now you're acquainted. If I ever catch you on my yard, I won't hesitate to chase you," he warned. "I don't like cats."

"Don't like cats? But I thought I saw one waltz away just a while ago? I think he said his name was Nat?"

Kevin growled. "Nat's different. He's a street cat. You're a house cat. You're prissy and he's not."

The cat yawned and stretched out. "Oh, excuse me. It must be my nap time. But, I'll have you know that my being a housecat is very new. My mother was a stray, just so you know. It was only recently that the humans caught Mother and me."

Kevin huffed. "Whatever. I still don't want to catch you on my yard."

"Well, I'm Eddward. It was nice to meet you." The cat leapt down off the fence to go take a cat nap no doubt.

Kevin huffed once more and turned back to the back yard where he had been burying his bone. "Stupid cats."


	24. Not the Same

Eddward really had no idea what to do. He had no experience in this kind of situation. What should he do? Should he even do anything at all? Should he leave? Should he stay? He wished he knew at least something to guide him.

Kevin was hitting him again.

It wasn't like when they were kids. Kevin hadn't ever hurt Eddward when they were kids. He was a bully, yes, but not one to exert it physically. No, this time, Kevin was hitting him and sometimes, when he was really angry, and shaking and just utterly terrifying Eddward, he would feign a swing and Eddward would shrink back, not knowing what exactly Kevin was doing.

He tried to think back to something he might have done to upset Kevin. Had he ruined dinner, possibly? Did he keep him from seeing his friends? Were his obsessive tendencies just becoming too much for his long-time live-in boyfriend?

Eddward liked to think that Kevin was just stressed because of work and couldn't figure out how to deal with the pent up anger and didn't mean any of the bruises he caused him. Maybe Kevin was just having a hard time at the office or his boss was riding his tail about some upcoming job? Everything would pass sooner or later. Surely.

Nothing passed except the date. Kevin still hit Eddward and Eddward still hoped that this was all just stress.

Nothing was said to their friends. Eddward somewhat clumsy anyways. He always had some kind of bruise either way. He just blew the darker ones off with a smile.

Kevin started yelling at Eddward.

Kevin never yelled. Ever.

Unless he was yelling at Eddward.

These loud exclamations came without warning, unlike the hitting. Eddward never knew what would set Kevin off. He tried to learn from his mistakes, but Kevin was about as random as dear Ed. Eddward didn't get to see Ed very much anymore. Or Eddy for that matter either.

One day, as he sported a dark black eye and a swollen wrist; as he tried to write on the chalk board in his classroom, the scrit-scrat the chalk, Eddward broke down in the middle of class. He slumped to the floor, startling many of his students, and sobbed into his hands.

The room of teenagers stared at their teacher in shock, but finally a few brave ones went to his side to try and calm him down while another went to get the nurse.

Eddward apologized for interrupting their learning time with his silly problems, but they shrugged it off and told him it was fine. He had good, nice students.

The nurse led him to her office, leaving an aide to watch over the class for the remainder of the day. She sat Eddward on a cot and went to work checking his wrist and examining his eye.

His wrist turned out to be cracked. A hair-line fracture easily fixable if he got it checked out right away. His eye would heal just fine as well within a few days. He already knew all that, though. The nurse wasn't the only one well versed in the field of medicine.

She asked him how he was, how her favourite helper was doing. Even after all these years, since Eddward had roamed the halls of Peach Creek High School, she still liked to check up on one of her favourite aides.

He answered her questions with a small smile. He told her he and Kevin were fine. He was fine. Everything was just fine.

It's not fine though! It's terrible! Eddward was miserable! Dare he say it, he may even… Dislike Kevin right now!


	25. Play Dates

Before Mother and Father started taking more hours at work, they liked to set up play dates with the other neighbor children so their little Eddward could socialize.

They did not approve of Ed or Eddy. They were too brash and a bit too rowdy for their tastes. Sarah and Jimmy were still babies and not very good company for five years-old Eddward. Rolf, the dear foreign child, was just as rowdy as Ed and Mother and Father did not want to send their child to him only to have him returned with scrapes and bruises. And the Johnny boy's parents never answered their calls. Nazz was a sweetheart, but she was a bit ditsy for a small child and Kevin, across the lane, were there only options left.

So every other day at noon, Mother and Father sent little Eddward off to the Barr family house across the lane. Sometimes he held a toy, other's he clutched at his little hat, nervously making his way to their neighbor.

Kevin sometimes wasn't very nice. He liked to play ball, but he always threw it too hard so it would hit Eddward. And when Nazz came over to Kevin's house, she only ever wanted to play house and Edd always had to be the baby or the puppy. He didn't understand why the other children did not understand the concept of fairness and taking turns.

At lunch time, Mrs. Barr sat them at the table with triangle sandwiches and apple slices and fruit juice. Kevin gobbled his up and Nazz favoured her apple slices while Eddward neatly cleaned his plate and wiped his mouth after every bite.

After that, the three would go back outside to the back yard and continue playing 'throw the ball at Edd' or house.

When his parents called for him to return home, Eddward would thank Mrs. Barr for having him and say goodbye to Kevin and Nazz and then hurry back to the safety and order of his own home.

Mother and Father would sometimes ask him if he had a nice time and if he remembered his manners. He would answer them and they would eat their dinner and then send Eddward up to bed.


	26. Another Day Another Play Date

Other times when Eddward was sent to Kevin's house, he and Nazz would insist they sit and all watch T.V. Eddward didn't like watching T.V. His parents told him that it only rotted your brain and that reading was a better alternative.

On days when Kevin was sat in front of the television, Eddward would sit with them, but with a book he found after searching through the Barr's shelves. Sometimes, Kevin or Nazz would laugh and Eddward would glance up at the screen to see what was so funny, but all he saw was a blur of colours and characters and he didn't think he would be able to follow it with the same lightheartedness that the others did.

Kevin liked to tease Eddward when he read books while he and Nazz watched cartoons. He called Eddward an egghead and a nerd and a dork. Eddward learned not to correct him or chastise him because that usually led to Kevin sitting on him while Nazz giggled at the two boys.

Once, Eddward gave in and tried to watch one of the cartoons that Kevin and Nazz insisted on watching. It was colourful and loud and made Eddward dizzy. When the others laughed, Eddward was trying to figure out what was so funny. At best, the cartoons were slap-stick humor and some of them had references Eddward didn't think neither Kevin nor Nazz caught.

No wonder Mother and Father didn't want him watching television.


	27. The Wolf's Den

As the Alpha leader, Kevin was expected to bring an heir into the world. He was expected to mate with the strongest breeder and he was expected to do it quickly.

The thing was, none of the breeders were up to Kevin's standards. None of them were able to capture and hold Kevin's attention for longer than introductions.

The heat seasons came and passed and the Alpha had yet to bed and breed with anyone. He was another year without an heir.

People from other packs brought their breeders to showcase to Kevin in hopes of establishing good ties with the large and formidable pack. Kevin was entirely open to establishing trade with the other packs without using an innocent breeder as compensation, though. He didn't want just anyone.

His not-just-anyone was found during the off season, during winter, when hunting was scarce.

His not-just-anyone was alone in the forest just outside his pack. He was close to death, nearly frozen over when Kevin had stumbled upon him, the slight breeder with black hair and alabaster skin. The snow had covered his scent at first and Kevin had only just been able to stumble upon him by chance.

The Alpha leader brought the faint breeder back to his home and had a healer look after him until she declared him healthy enough to survive the night.

The breeder slept for the whole night and well into the next day. Kevin let him sleep, he knew the winter was harsh and some needed the extra rest to survive it.

When the breeder opened his eyes at last, showing Kevin a spring forest, he moaned out and glanced around his surroundings. Kevin stayed in the shadows; he knew by experience that breeders could be timid creatures at times.

"You can come out," the breeder said quietly. "I can smell you."

Kevin did so and introduced himself and explained the situation. "You were almost dead, but I have saved you."

"Thank you," the breeder said. "I thank you very much, but…"

"But?"

"But I cannot stay. I must go soon." The breeder sat up and wobbled to his feet.

"You can't leave!" Kevin growled, and then calmed himself a bit. He tried again, "You can't leave so soon."

"You don't understand. I'm exiled," the breeder explained. "My pack has abandoned me and I am free game to anyone."

"Then stay and you will not fall prey to hunters."

"It is a kind off, I thank you, but I cannot stay, I have—I have a pup to look after." Suddenly the breeder's eyes widened and he searched around the nest. "H-He's not here! My pup! Please," he begged Kevin. "Please tell me you saved my pup too!"

"I only brought you," Kevin answered, glancing down at the distraught breeder sadly. "I'm sorry. I didn't know you had a cub."

The breeder shuddered and crumbled to the ground and moaned. "I-It is fine. You had no way of knowing." He was silent for a long time after that.

"I will go out and look for your pup's body if that is any compensation. A burial will give you closure." The breeder didn't respond.

So Kevin went out after he left the breeder with the healer to look after him. He was given the scent of the missing cub and he promised to do his best in finding it.

The snow covered up much of the smells of the forest and it was hard work tracking even his own scent.

In some sort of stroke of luck, Kevin caught the faint scent of the breeder he had found. He followed it until the trail suddenly cut off. He searched around the area and found the pup's scent. A little body was curled up in the tangled roots of an old tree. Kevin sniffed and was surprised to find the scent fresh. The pup was still alive.

He brought the limp pup to the breeder who thanked him and bawled as he cradled his cub and pet him, checking for any hurts.

"I can't thank you enough. You have been more kind to me than even my own Alpha."

Kevin tensed at the breeder's words. "You are faithful to an Alpha?"

The breeder nodded sadly. "Yes, but he is the one who exiled me so I cannot return to him." He cradled his cub close. "I will leave as soon as possible. Thank you for everything you have done for me."

"NO! No, no. Just, wait." Kevin put a hand on the breeder's shoulder to steady him and to calm himself. "I will gladly welcome you to the pack. You will be safe from hunters and you will be welcomed by everyone."

The breeder thought for a moment, pondering his options. The cub huddled close, still sleeping.

"I-If the head Alpha does not mind bringing in a stray, then I assume I will have to stay; even if just for a little while." The breeder smiled shyly and thanked Kevin.

"You can stay for as long as you want. I want you to stay."


	28. Eddward's Piggy Bank

Looking around Kevin's bedroom, at the multitude of posters and random odds and ends collected throughout his childhood, Eddward wondered if his own parents would ever allow him to change his room to something a bit more personal.

He liked his room, of course, but sometimes, the ant farm and the old scale of the universe he'd made in the third grade got, well, old. He didn't really have anything in his room that showed off his own personal likes and dislikes. He only had his meticulously labeled school supplies and awards that collected too much dust.

Eddward paused his gaze on an old, dusty, faded piggy bank on a top shelf. It was a simple light blue and on the side in paint it said 'Kevin's First Piggy Bank!' Eddward didn't have a first piggy bank. He had an account in a bank that was collecting interest for his college fund, but he did not have a piggy bank.

He knew it was selfish to want, but it wasn't the material items he longed for. It was the personality they brought out. He wanted a piggy bank that said 'Edd's First Piggy Bank!' that his mother had painted all on her own or an old toy that he carried around maybe; a memento from his babyhood.

"What's up, dude?" Kevin asked. He nudged Eddward with his foot, knowing he'd get the zoned out boy to come to with just that.

"Ugh, Kevin. Feet are so disgusting. I'd appreciate it if you would keep yours to yourself." Eddward looked away from the piggy bank and to his boyfriend. "Was there something you wanted?"

Kevin, reclined on his bed while Edd sat on the edge, shrugged. "You just looked kind of sad. Is something bothering you?"

"No, not at all, Kevin. I was just thinking about something unimportant." Eddward scooted so that he was reclined next to Kevin, laying his head on the same pillow.

"Good," Kevin grunted. "I'd hate to have to spoil the day to go beat someone up for you."

Eddward chuckled. "Violence is not always the answer, Kevin."


	29. We'll Be Home Soon

"When was the last time your parents came back, for real?"

Eddward rubbed his arm and shuffled around the question like it was a spreading stain. "I'm not sure, Kevin. A while, I'm sure. They will be home soon enough, though." He gave a timid smile and scurried off to perform another task from the miasma of yellow on the blue walls around his home.

Kevin, while Edd avoided him, went to relax on the couch in the living room and flip through a few channels, but when he went to turn on the television, he was met with a fuzzy screen. He flipped through a few channels, but all he got was static.

"Hey, Edd, what's up with your T.V.?"

Eddward stuck his head in from the kitchen. "I turned off our cable. I never watch it and Mother and Father don't approve of it anyway. It's just one less bill now."

Kevin harrumphed and turned the television off. Now, instead, he went to watch whatever it was that Edd was doing. Maybe he could annoy him a little with fake notes?

Eddward was ironing some clothes. A large stack of freshly folded shirts sat next to him and the ironing board. Hanging by a hook in the wall was a suit. Kevin swore the same suit had been hanging there the last time he came over.

"I'll just be a minute, Kevin," Edd explained. "If you would like, I could get you something? Are you thirsty? Would you like some tea?"

Kevin shook his head, still staring at the blue suit that supposedly belonged to Edd's father.

"Hey," he said, suddenly remembering something. "My mom wanted me to tell you she invited your parents to dinner at our house next time they're home. She wants you to pass on the message to them."

Edd paused for a moment and nodded. "I-I'll be sure to do that. Mother quite enjoys dinner parties."

"It's not really a party; Mom just wants to meet your parents since we've been going out for about a year."

"O-Oh. Well, I'll be sure to tell Mother and Father as soon as I see them next." Eddward finished up the ironing and put the laundry away neatly.

Kevin noticed he did not take any sticky notes down when he finished with a task. That was odd. Eddward was meticulous. He always took down a note as soon as he'd finished with a chore. Always.

Quickly, so the slippery dork couldn't escape, Kevin caught one of Eddward's arms and held him in place, glaring at him intensely.

"Why'd you leave all the sticky notes up?"

"I did? Oh, I'm sure you're just imagining things," Eddward replied loftily. "I always take them down once I've finished a chore."

"Nope. You're not gonna trick me. I watched you. Why'd you leave them up? Is it got something to do with why your parents haven't been around in a while?"

Eddward tried to tug his arm out of Kevin's grip, but the athletic boy would not give. "Tell me, Edd. I'll make you if I have to."

"It's nothing Kevin. Nothing you need to worry about. How about we just cross the street to your home? I'm sure your mother has something cooking?"

"Not until you tell me what's going on. I've had it with you avoiding my questions."

"Kevin," Eddward said quietly.

"Tell me."

"It's nothing."

"It's something!"

"No, I assure you, it's not."

"Then why won't you tell me!" Kevin yelled.

Eddward stared at the ground, his arm still held tight by Kevin. He sniffed and wiped at his eyes with his free hand. "I don't want to bother you with my troubles; that is why I avoid your questions."

"Edd, that's why I'm here; I'm here so you can unload all the junk that's bothering you on me. Please. Tell me what's wrong."

After a while of contemplating, Eddward sighed and wiped his eyes and stared back at Kevin. "I haven't heard from Mother or Father in quite some time. Their cell phone numbers are disconnected and I am not able to get a hold of them at where they last told me they would be working.

"The bank account that Father set up so that I would be able to buy groceries and pay the electricity bills is no longer active and I—Kevin, I'm worried. I have no idea what has happened with my parents. I don't understand why I can't get a hold of them or why they have not contacted me themselves."

Kevin pulled Eddward to him, letting the other boy break down as he worried about his parents. Kevin didn't want to say why he thought Edd's parents never came home anymore.


	30. Was- Was Edd--?

Kevin, sometime between the theatrical release of The Avengers and that one time when Rolf had to climb a tree to unstuck Wilfred from one of the top branches (Kevin still could not understand how the pig got up there in the first place), started noticing that Edd was acting weird, distant even. He started reminding Kevin of his parents who, when Edd was a kid, would stick notes around the house, never interacting with their son, being distant and impersonal just like Eddward was acting right now.

One night, while Kevin sat at the dinner table with an empty plate in front of him and Edd's dinner in the oven to keep warm, he contemplated why Edd would be so distant. Was he angry? Did Kevin upset him? Did someone else upset him? Edd never really told him anything when he was home. He ate dinner, do the dishes and then sleep and start the day over at five in the a.m. before Kevin even woke up.

Kevin heard the scraping of Edd trying to put the key into the lock and the door opening. He heard the closet door open as Eddward hung up his coat and bag and then he saw the hat-clad man in the kitchen walkway. He was smiling wearily and sat heavily at the table. Kevin stood up silently and set his plate in front of him. Eddward thanked him and ate in not-quite companionable silence.

"So," Kevin spoke up after Eddward had finished his rice. He cleared his throat uncomfortably and tried again. "So how's work been, babe?"

Edd wiped his mouth and gave Kevin a small smile. "It's been fine; a bit stressful, but nothing to worry about. The lab got new samples and I've been working with new recruits, learning them the ins and outs of the laboratory."

Kevin nodded. Honestly, he still had no exactly what it was the Edd did, just that it had to do with science and he sometimes interacted with diseases. "That's interesting," he said lamely. Edd just nodded.

The scientist finished his dinner and went to the sink, taking Kevin's plate with him. He moved methodically, washing plates and setting them on a rack to air-dry. Kevin kept his seat at the table, staying quiet.

As the ravenette drained the sink and washed his hands, Kevin decided to speak up and try one of the last things he dared to think about his nerdy partner.

"Edd, are you seeing someone else?"

The kitchen was suddenly quiet; the sink having completely drained in the time Kevin asked the taboo question. Eddward turned around, a hurt look on his features. He clung to the dishrag, wringing it and twisting it roughly. He was biting his lip and tears were filling his eyes.

"No, I c-can't say I am." He set the rag down on the counter and left the kitchen, making his way up the stairs to their bedroom. Kevin didn't venture upstairs until the next morning after Eddward had already left for work.

Kevin hurried in the shower and raced on his motorcycle to class at the local community college. He was nearly late and Nat and Nazz wouldn't get off his back, questioning him why he was all sweaty and nervous. Oh, no reason, he thought, just that my dork is probably cheating on me!

In the middle of his chemistry lecture, Kevin got a text from Edd. With a look of confusion, he stared at his flip-phone, wondering what his partner could possibly be messaging him about. Edd never texted during his work hours.

From DD: Please dress formally so that we may attend a 'fancy' dinner tonight. Please be ready by eight-thirty.

Kevin stared at the text before quickly tapping out a response. He looked back up at the lecture notes – the professor hadn't changed slides – and pondered over Edd's mysterious invitation. They hadn't gone out to eat in a while. The athletic man felt his palms begin to sweat again and he had to hold his pen more tightly so it wouldn't slip out of his grasp. What could Edd have planned?

Kevin spent extra time in the shower, making sure he was cleanly shaven and that his teeth were bright and pearly. He spent even more time in the closet choosing between a tie and a bowtie. He decided on the bowtie, remembering all the nights he'd watched Doctor Who with Eddward during their first dates. His iconic hat was left on the dresser and he combed his hair back and laced his black shoes. Kevin straightened his bowtie one last time and headed down the stairs to watch some television as he waited for Edd to get home.

Edd was already dressed suavely when he walked through the door to find Kevin nodding off to a rerun of a baseball game. He shook the red-head's shoulder and smiled softly at him. Kevin did the same, though his lips twitched just so.

The drive to the restaurant was tense, neither talking as the radio playing quietly. Kevin didn't even ask where they were going. And Edd didn't say.

When they were seated and had a glass of wine each, Kevin finally asked Edd what they were doing. What was going on?

Eddward shifted uncomfortably and answered his questions. They were just out for a nice dinner. They hadn't done this in a while.

"Why've you been so distant? I've been… I dunno, man. I've just felt kind of blown off. I'm just waiting for the sticky notes to start popping up." Eddward glanced down, ashamed.

"W-Well, I know I've been putting a considerable amount of hours in the laboratory, but I assure you it is for a good cause."

"What? It's not like we're strapped for cash. Neither of us gets sick often."

Eddward stayed silent until their dinner came. As Kevin picked at his steak and potatoes and while Edd nibbled on his fish, the uncomfortable tension built up again until Edd suddenly stood up. Kevin glanced up, thinking something would finally happen.

But, just as soon as Edd had stood, he'd dropped to his knees. Kevin reached over, going to help him up, but Edd shook his head and held one of Kevin's hands.

"Kevin Barr?"

Kevin was silent. He swallowed hard and stared at Edd down on one knee, wobbling slightly and shaking nervously. He watched with one brow quirked.

"Y-You and I have been dating for quite some time, I realize," Edd said quietly. He fumbled for his words, stuttering and hesitating, trying to figure out the best formatting for his question.

"A-And I know I've been coming off as distant and impersonal, not coming home until late and leaving before dawn, but," he paused again, still shaking and still holding Kevin's hand as the red-head's own heart nearly beat out of his chest.

"I know it was you who originally asked me out and I'm not sure exactly how these types of things usually occur, but Kevin Anderson Barr, would you do the honor of marrying me?" Edd pulled a black box out of his pocket and with a nervous gaze, looked up at Kevin.

Both of the men were silent for a while. The clinking of glasses and utensils continued around them, no one paying attention to the couple in the far back of the dining area. After no response, Edd took the box back, fumbling with it and nearly dropping it.

"Y-Yeah." Edd looked back up. "Hell yes, I'll marry ya, Edd." Kevin crouched down off his chair and kissed Edd as he slipped the ring onto his finger. He laughed unbelievingly and kissed his fiancé. "God, Edd, you had me so worried this whole time," he said quietly. They both got back in their chairs and resumed dinner, though they held hands this time.

"I really thought something was up. But," Kevin glanced at their hands. "God, you're such a dork. I feel like such a girl now, Sockhead!"

"I assure you that that was not my intention, Kevin," Edd said with a smile. "I just needed more hours at work so that I could comfortably afford our rings. I promise there will be no sticky notes. Ever."

Kevin smiled at Edd. He leaned across the table and met Edd half-way for a kiss. "I love you, babe. I can't wait for the wedding."

"I have a few plans for the venue," Edd said and he started rambling off different places they could hold the ceremony. Kevin smiled and nodded off and on, reveling in the warm feeling inside of him that the ring gave him. Edd was his and he was Edd's and that was all that mattered.


	31. Their Pups

Kevin, after learning that the new breeder in his pack was a little bit naïve and just a tad bit too innocent to be with cub, finally got Eddward to understand his intentions and came to an agreement all without even once growling.

The breeder was flattered that the Alpha leader was interested in starting a family with him. But the acceptance of his cub was what had Eddward hesitant in accepting the offer. Eddward knew some Alphas did not always accept a cub fathered by another. He made it clear Jim was his and if Kevin wanted him, Jim would also be his responsibility. No Jim, no Edd.

During the spring, when most breeders started into their heat cycles, Eddward was moved into Kevin's den and given supplies to make his nest. Jim was given to an older breeder to care for him while Edd and Kevin attempted to conceive.

Kevin had never been with a breeder before though and the first night of Eddward's heat was very awkward for the inexperienced Alpha. As Edd lay on his back, stretching languidly and whimpering and moaning, Kevin was hesitant and used a great amount of restraint so that he made the correct moves. God forbid he scare off his dearly desired breeder.

Edd beckoned Kevin to touch and moaned at the contact Kevin cautiously gave him. The Alpha himself was flushed with arousal and was near his edge of restraint, but he kept at it, not wanting to harm Edd.

"P-Please tell me what to do, Edd. I've never done this before." He was slightly embarrassed he was going to conceive with an experienced breeder and not one physically pure, but he was also weary of Edd's comfort.

"Just lay on me," Edd panted. "Just for now." His chest rose and fell rapidly as he spoke, his breathes coming out in hot puffs. "W-We can go slow."

The red-headed Alpha slowly made his way to his soon-to-be mate and lay himself over the thin, pale body. Edd was cold, despite the red flush of his skin. At the contact, the breeder moaned again and clung to the Alpha.

Eddward coaxed Kevin through the process, not once reprimanding the Alpha, always complimenting and encouraging. Still a bit embarrassed, Kevin worked through the steps Edd gave him and when they were one, he reveled in the absolute bliss.

He and Edd panted as they moved and when their peak was achieved, the two came down in each other's arms. Edd told Kevin he did well and Kevin thanked Edd and told him the same.

The rest of the heat cycle was spent like this and by the end, the two were more comfortable with each other than before.

Kevin re-introduced Eddward as his mate and Jim as his adopted cub. In the late spring, Kevin had the healer check on Edd and was pleased to know that his mate was indeed with child.

Jim lay with his mother at night in their new den with Kevin. He would touch and stroke his mother's stomach, talking to it, asking it questions about the baby. Edd laughed and told his son the baby couldn't hear him yet, but he would be able to soon.

Jim, by the beginning of fall, had decided on the baby's name. Alphonse, he'd told his mother and Kevin during dinner one evening. But Al for short.

Eddward said it was a wonderful name and if it was a boy, then that would be their new baby's name. But if it was a girl, Kevin could name her. Kevin kind of liked the idea of a baby girl.

At winter, when Edd was nearly through the pregnancy, his tummy large and constantly being poked by Jim how talked to his baby brother or sister, Kevin prescribed him bed rest and didn't allow him to leave the den barring mealtime.

By the end of winter, in the early months, Eddward gave birth to a baby boy with fuzzy orange hair. He was promptly dubbed Al and Kevin showed him off to his pack, declaring him his heir as Alpha. Edd stayed in the nest for a while after the birth, not displaying near as much excitement as the rest of the pack.

He didn't smile anymore and had no energy for a lot of things. His temper was short with Jim and he rarely held Al during the first few months after his birth. Kevin worried something could be wrong with his mate and asked the healer to hold a confession with Edd.

The healer and Edd met alone one day and Kevin waited near the mouth of his den until the elderly woman came to him to explain what was wrong.

"He has what is called postpartum depression. The birth of your son has left him empty and feeling useless," she explained. "He will have to put a good effort to come over this as well as you should help him to realize that he is still needed. I will not have an Alpha, no matter his rank, treat a breeder as if they are nothing." She eyed Kevin with the look only an experienced woman could and Kevin backed down and scurried to his mate.

Edd was curled in the nest awake, but not really awake.

"Eddward?" Kevin asked hesitantly. He made slow steps towards his mate and carefully lay down next to him.

Eddward glanced at him with glazed eyes. He was pale and a little sweaty. He curled more into himself and buried his head away from Kevin. He whined pathetically and Kevin stroked his hand through his hair, trying to calm him.

"It's fine, Edd. The healer told me how to take care of you. You'll be fine."

The breeder shook his head. "I should have told you," he mumbled. Kevin looked at him, confused.

"What do you mean?"

"I was like this after Jim's birth," Edd explained quietly, still not looking at Kevin. His voice was soft and aloof. "He nearly died," he confessed.

Kevin started. "What do you mean? Jim nearly died?!"

Eddward sniffed. "I was like this after Jim was born, but Nathan did nothing. He left the cub alone and would not let anyone touch him." Eddward sighed and peeked up at Kevin.

"He blamed me for killing out child and I tried to care, but I couldn't!" He suddenly said harshly. "I couldn't give a single care! And Nathan just sat there and watched out cub starve! Eventually I gathered up enough strength to hold Jim and I fed him and Nathan left us alone after that.

"He had another breeder as well."

Kevin growled. He didn't like hearing Nathan's name and he especially didn't like to hear of the damned Alpha betraying the sanctity of a mate.

"While I was pregnant with Jim he courted another breeder and had a child with him as well. As soon as I was healed from the birth and would hold Jim, he had us banished. We were exiled for nearly a year before you found us."

"If we ever cross paths, I will kill that despicable Alpha," Kevin promised. He held Edd close and rubbed his back. "I promise: I will never leave you or our cubs alone. Al and Jim will have both of their parents and I will never, ever betray you like that insect did."

"I'm sorry for causing so much trouble," Edd mumbled as he fell asleep after many nights of no rest. Kevin shook his head to himself and laid Edd back in the nest. He went to fetch his children and the family of four rested in their nest that night, warm and together.


	32. Eddward the Finicky Feline

"C'mon, Edd," Kevin cooed, shaking the small bag of food. "Time to eat!"

The little cat-eared person who sat, curled up on the couch, shook his head and rolled over, yawning. He pulled the tiny cap over his eyes and went back to sleep.

Kevin chuckled. "Fine. No cream afterwards, then."

The cat-boy stayed where he was, not even twitching a muscle. His tail was curled up beside him, not a flick to be flicked.

Sighing, the red-headed owner scooped up the kitten and carried him to the kitchen, trying not to drop the squirming thing.

Edd mewed helplessly as he tried to get out of Kevin's grip, but soon found himself sat on the table, a bowl of fresh fish placed in front of him. Kevin sat down in front of his own food, waiting for Edd to start eating.

Edd puffed his cheeks and turned away, turning up his nose.

"How about, after you've eaten, we can watch some T.V. before bed. The Animal Planet. Hmm?"

Edd peered back around, peeking from under his cap. He mewled quietly, a question.

"Only if you eat all your food, though." Kevin picked up his own fork, knowing he won this little tiff, yet again.

Edd turned back towards his bowl and picked up a piece of fish, sniffing it and taking an experimental taste. After being inspected and confirmed, Edd dug into his meal with fervor.


	33. The Boardwalk

Eddward had never been skating before. As Kevin drove them to the beach to 'get the full experience,' Eddward went over equations in his head, mapping out how he should distribute his weight and at what angles he should keep his toes pointed to minimize the hazard of falling, but when he wobbled on the boardwalk, Kevin laughing and giving him tips, Eddward decided some things just could not be equated and needed a bit of natural talent and finesse.

The two slowly made their way down the crowded boardwalk, watching the waves and tourists. Kevin offered Edd his hand soon after he'd taken his third spill, getting sand all over his backside and had a near miss with a discarded funnel cake that had been baking in the sun for who knows how long. Kevin held his hand out to Edd who graciously took it and the two scooted awkwardly along, swaying this way and that.

Eddward gripped Kevin's hand dearly, not wanting to fall anymore. The boardwalk was filthy and he would already have to sanitize himself thoroughly when they got home. His palm was sweaty and though it bothered him greatly, he did not let go. Kevin led them down the path and even swung Edd in circles, much to the other's protest.

The two skated up and down the boardwalk through the whole day and Kevin held Edd's hand the whole time. When the sun began its trek back down towards the horizon, he pulled Edd to a seaside café and the two sat down to drink and catch their breath. Eddward smiled at the red-head, wide and gap-tooth showing. His cheeks were flushed from the activity and his hair was wind-swept, but he looked lovely to Kevin.


	34. Textbook Moves

Kevin grumbled to himself as he lugged the heavy bag of textbooks down the corridor. It was almost curfew, but he had a destination and not Peeves, nor Filch, nor McGonagall herself could stop him. He stared at the many large sets of moving staircases once he got to the end of the hall and groaned. Edd owed him big time. Like, major big.

After nearly killing himself on a fake step and having to back-track more than he liked to admit, Kevin finally was at the Ravenclaw Common Room entrance.

He knocked on the door and the bronze knocker eagle started to move.

"Dear boy, I do believe you are not a Ravenclaw."

Kevin muttered something under his breath. "Yeah, well, I'm supposed to meet Edd so if you could let me in, that'd be great."

"If you can answer this riddle, then I may."

"Bring it, then."

"If you put a coin in a bottle and then insert a cork into the neck of the bottle, how could you remove the coin without taking out the cork or breaking the bottle?"

Kevin stared at the eagle. What kind of question was that? "Well, you would…" Kevin thought. How would you get the coin out? "Okay, I give."

"If you cannot answer, you cannot gain access."

"Then give me another! I walked up all those stupid stairs and I'm not getting turned away by a stupid knocker!"

"Alright, then. I'll give you one more chance. Which came first, the phoenix or the flame?"

Kevin took a deep breath. "Okay. The phoenix or the flame? Hm…" He thought for a moment. That sounded sort of familiar, but where had he heard it before? Oh! His own mother had told it to him as a child!

"Ha! Neither! 'Cause a circle has no beginning!" The eagle nodded and with a huff, opened the door to the Slytherin student who smugly walked through.

The Ravenclaw Common Room was warm as the fireplace burned bright with large, orange flames eating at the stack of logs in the hearth. Kevin glanced around at the ceiling-high bookcases stuffed with books and loose papers. Of course this would be Edd's House. How couldn't it?

Speaking of, the dork was sitting on one of the sofas, his feet curled under him and a large tome placed in his lap. His glasses reflected the flames and though Kevin couldn't see his eyes, he knew they were racing through the lines, eating up the information the book had to offer.

He cleared his throat, dumping his bag onto the table before the couch, startling Edd. "Hey."

"You're early," Edd said, glancing at his watch. "I was sure you would not arrive until eleven."

"Yeah, well, I decided to play it safe and not get caught half-way there this time." He flopped down next to Edd and spread his arms on the back of the couch. "Welp! Let's get ta learnin'."

Eddward giggled and carefully placed his tome onto the table next to Kevin's bag. "Well, what do you want to start with? I think we should get History of Magic out of the way first. That subject requires the most writing since I'm sure you have not started your essay." He looked at Kevin knowingly and the Slytherin grinned sheepishly.

"Or, you know. It's the weekend tomorrow…" He raised a brow at Eddward.

Edd shook his head. "It's best to get this work done with. I know you, mister. You'll just keep making excuses to put it off until Sunday night."

Kevin sighed in defeat. "Alright. Let's do the stupid homework." He scooted closer to Edd and wrapped an arm around the Ravenclaw, smirking to himself.

Edd, as he leaned over to get Kevin's textbook out of his bag, shivered and jumped in his seat. "K-Kevin!" he chastised.

"What?" Kevin raised his hands to his chest. "I'm not doin' nothin'."

Eddward sighed. "Even if that sentence was grammatically open, I would still have to say that, yes, you are doing something." The Ravenclaw pouted and held his nose up. "If you want to do this study session, I will not stop you, but you must get your priorities straight or I will kick you out of this common room and tell the eagle not to let you in again."

Kevin sighed. "Alright, alright." He pulled the textbook onto his lap and smiled at Edd. "Let's learn something."

Edd smiled back and nodded. "Well, then." He scooted closer to Kevin and looked over the chapter Kevin had the book open to.

The Slytherin smirked and moved his arm back around Edd's shoulders and this time the Ravenclaw didn't protest. He leaned his head on the other's and Edd still didn't say anything. Knowing he'd won this one, Kevin set his feet up on the table as Edd began explaining what he would need to know for his essay, leaning in more to Kevin's grasp.


	35. Screen Jump

Much to Kevin's surprise, Eddward was excellent at video games. Then again, it was probably due to many a summer night at Ed's house when they had been younger. The dork never shut up about his comics and games so no doubt Double D had gotten coerced into at least a few rounds.

Kevin groaned as his character was once again shot down, the re-spawn screen blinking at him for the millionth time. Next to him, Eddward giggled and continued to snipe the other characters on his side of the screen.

His gaze never left the screen, analyzing the environment, picking out enemies and taking them out one by one at a steady pace. Kevin's character popped back up and he began his search for Edd's character once again.

Finally, after many near accidents, Kevin found Edd's gamer-tag just to the left of his screen. His character crept up behind the other and suddenly, without warning, Edd's character turned around and shot, killing Kevin.

Surprised, Kevin glanced at Eddward who quickly looked back at his side of the screen. The red-head smirked. "I didn't think Mr. Academic would cheat, even if it's just video games."

Eddward, caught, fumbled with his controller, accidentally shooting off a few rounds. He chuckled nervously. "W-Well, you see, I was just using the resources I had. I can't help that the screens are right next to each other. In real war, if I was able to have a second perspective I would use it to my full advantage."

Kevin smirked wider and plucked the controller from Edd and planted a smooch on his cheek. The nerd flushed and looked away, though he turned right back around and kissed Kevin on the lips right after.


	36. On the Town

Kevin, when he was feeling especially romantic, liked to take Edd out on the town for a date. The dates usually consisted of a dinner at an expensive restaurant that he'd studied up on multiple Google searches the night before and either a shopping trip for Edd or going to a coffee shop afterwards.

Edd really appreciated the thoughtfulness and liked to, er, thank Kevin when they got home. The genius sometimes liked to think that Kevin's favourite part of their dates were went the lights were low and the curtains drawn.

Tonight, Kevin drove Edd and himself in the ravenette's eco-friendly car to the Asian-themed restaurant he'd made reservations at. He'd heard, the day before, Edd saying he felt like something spicy, but also something different than what they'd had recently. Kevin thought sushi with that little blob of green stuff. That was spicy! And they hadn't had it in a while.

Edd was fiddling with his phone, texting or something and Kevin was concentrating on the road, trying not to let one of his hands wander to the passenger seat because he'd had more than once had to sit in the parking lot until Edd finished his little rendition of vehicular operating safety.

The eatery wasn't very full and it was spacey so the two boys were able to have a bit of privacy as they ate.

Edd tried to show Kevin how to use the wooden chopsticks, picking up various things, even once showing off by picking up his spoon with them and sipping a bit of soup. Kevin huffed and threw his pair down after that. He resorted back to his fork for the rest of the night.

Kevin paid the bill and led Eddward out with his arm around his shoulders. While dining, Edd told him he'd like to go to a bookstore for the second part of their date tonight. Kevin complied and drove them to the large Barnes and Nobel building on the better side of the city.

The outside of the store was lit up with bright, white lights and people were milling about outside, walking to and fro to the other shops nearby.

Kevin didn't really much like bookstores, but Edd was cute when he got to snooping around the shelves, looking for the latest sci-fi or textbook. He even had a habit of becoming flushed and Kevin would often find him sitting on the floor with a pile of books around him, red-faced and smiling. His nerd was the cutest.

They didn't stray far from each other and Kevin found himself flipping through comic books while Edd browsed the fantasy novels. When he looked up, after setting down a copy of some overly shaded superhero, Edd was gone. Kevin looked down the large, main aisle and found nothing. They'd already gone though most of the genres and Edd didn't like backtracking much. The only things left were… Kevin looked up at the hanging sign over the last aisle. Romance.

No, surely Edd hadn't gone there.

Carefully, hesitantly, Kevin glanced down the aisle full of shady, unrealistic books of forbidden love.

Edd was squeezed into the corner, book pushed up close to his face. His cheeks were red and Kevin knew it wasn't the flushed, over-exerted red that he'd come to learn about. This red was the red that Edd became when Kevin whispered things into his ear or when he did things to him in their bed.

Edd was reading a cheesy romance novel!

He cleared his throat and Eddward dropped the book and jumped to his feet. "A-Are we ready to go?" He hurried to Kevin's side, trying to tug him to the registers to purchase his fantasy books.

Kevin shook his head, a smug look on his face. "What were ya reading?"

"What? Nothing! Just a-a—" He was not for an explanation and was caught. He ducked his head. "It was nothing, honestly."

"I'm not mad, Edd, if that's what your worried about. My mom had loads of those dumb books." Eddward blushed and looked away.

"It's not that it's just… embarrassing. I have no need for those books, but I get so caught up in them!"

"So you've read them before?"

Edd squeaked. Kevin smirked.

"Okay, okay. Let's just buy these other books and get home. You don't have to explain yourself." The red-head kissed Edd's head and the two were soon on their way home, one flustered and the other confidant he would be getting some kind of favour in forgetting the conversation.


	37. You're in College Now, Live a Little

In contrast to popular belief, their first kiss had not been some kind of act of realization or some romantic gesture from one to impress the other. In fact, it had just been an experiment at first.

Kevin, after having 'weird' thoughts since the beginning of his Junior year of high school, getting flushed as he watched Robert Downey Jr. play in the Iron Man films, and even after that one time when he'd caught himself staring and almost drooling at a random guy at the grocery store with his mother, believed himself to be utterly gay for guys. He couldn't remember ever catching himself staring at any girls or women and he'd dreamed of that guy's backside multiple times so he was pretty sure.

Edd, on the other hand, was confused and unsure of what his hormones were trying to tell him.

He'd been a late bloomer, or so said his mother. He hadn't had any sexual thoughts or urges even into his Senior year of high school. He hadn't even known what love was until he'd taken health class that he'd come to understand that the attraction between a man and a woman was love.

But Edd had never thought of a girl in the way that his textbook had described attraction so the confused boy began researching and came to the conclusion that he was just asexual – one to not have sexual urges. To the nineteen year old boy who had had not one wet dream or even an inkling of a twinge in his stomach it made perfect sense. He just did not have the basic urges that others felt, he was already different, so why not be just a little bit more?

In his second year of community college, Kevin found himself becoming good friends with Eddward, one of the dorks he'd tormented when they were kids. The other two dorks, Ed and Eddy, didn't go to the local college and had drifted apart after the end of high school.

One day, completely on accident, Kevin had let slip that he was gay. Not the kind of gay he saw on television all the time with extremely effeminate guys who were into fashion and stuff. He just liked the male form. A lot.

Eddward nodded to him and expressed that he had no qualms to Kevin's preference. He even told the red-head his own thoughts.

"I believe myself to be asexual, so you don't need to worry over feeling unaccepted." Edd smiled at Kevin. "We live in a sexualized world and I sometimes feel a bit left out or pressured. But, I'm glad you have found what you like and have accepted it."

Kevin, taken aback and feeling somewhat miffed that Edd had one-upped him in such a way, patted the other guy's shoulder. "Well," he said, "how'd you figure out you're asexual? Then again, I guess that makes sense for you. I don't think I could picture you with either a boy or a girl. Or both."

Eddward blushed. "Well, I just realized that I've never had any urges, as you may call them. I've done experiments, perusing Eddy's magazine collection and I even did an online search for male models to use, but even when I used a large variation of skin colour to hair type, I just could not feel anything."

"So, like… You don't do it?" Kevin glanced down and then back up. Eddward jumped and blushed again.

"Though I do find that kind of information to be personal and not to be discussed in public, yes, I do masturbate. It is a healthy part of a human's life and has nothing to do with whether I feel attracted to someone or not." Eddward turned up his nose and moved so he faced away from Kevin.

The athlete laughed. "Okay, okay. Don't get your panties in a bunch. Calm down. But, I have one last question."

"Proceed," Edd said after a moment. He looked back over his shoulder curiously.

"Have you ever tried kissing someone to see if you liked them or not? Like, to see if there was a spark or some shit?"

Eddward frowned at the language. "No. I don't think I can say I have."

"Well," Kevin said, leaning in. "Do you think you may want to try? As an experiment. You've done lots of experiments so…" He pressed his lips to Edd's and lingered for a moment.

When he sat back, Edd's cheeks were bright red and he was flustering about with his hands and looking every which way, but at Kevin.

"I-I think I'll have to assess the information before giving you a proper response," Edd said quickly as he jumped up to leave. Kevin smirked as he walked away.

His lips were still tingling by the time Edd had long since left the patio area.


	38. Winter Weather Wear

"This is ridiculous," Eddward complained. "I see no point in switching our normal attire."

"That's because you don't get out much," muttered Kevin under his breath.

"What?"

"Nothing. Just put on the jacket."

"But it's much too large for me. It will not fit properly."

"Forget about proper for now. It's cold outside, right? You don't want to catch a cold, right?"

Eddward paused and glared at Kevin. "Fine, but if this bulky thing gets in the way, I will ask you deal with it for the remainder of the day."

Kevin chuckled as he tugged on Eddward sweater-vest. Since it was already a few sizes larger than Eddward, it was able to fit snuggly on Kevin without any discomfort. "Fine. If it gets uncomfortable, we can switch back. I just wanna change for a day."

The day progressed sluggishly, Kevin escorting Eddward around the city to different shops and cafes. The winter weather allowed them to wear their switched jackets throughout the day and as Kevin and Edd made their way back to the Peach Creek cul-de-sac, they were hand-in-hand and still wearing each other's jackets.

"It wasn't so bad, right? You were warm the whole time?" Kevin asked as he walked Edd up to his door.

"Yes. I was quite comfortable in this." He went to take it off and give it back to Kevin, but he stopped him.

"Keep it for now. You can give it back later. And I'll keep your sweater for a while too."

Edd smiled and nodded and kissed Kevin on the cheek. "Thank you, Kevin."


	39. Role Play, Maybe

Kevin sighed as he made the turn that his GPS directed him to. Closer and closer to the city they got he saw more and more weird things.

"Why are we doing this again?" he asked as he found the parking garage for the hotel and convention center.

"We're going to support Ed in his contest. He's worked hard and could do with some cheering on from his friends," Edd explained as Kevin killed the engine.

"Yeah, but… do we have to?"

Edd was now rummaging in the trunk and pulling out boxes and garment bags. Kevin was standing beside him, leaning against a large cement pillar. Edd began pilling the boxes into Kevin's arms.

"Now, Kevin. This is a great chance to learn of a different social activity. We can meet many different people here."

Kevin groaned. "But do we have to dress up, I mean." He hefted the boxes into the elevator and he and Edd began their trek to the front desk of the hotel.

"Yes, we do," Edd said deftly. "Because I said so."

Kevin groaned again.

"And if you want to ever 'get some' again, I assure you, you will be participating in this with me."

"Alright," Kevin moaned as the elevator opened on the first floor of the parking garage.

In their room, after checking in and picking up their badges, Edd and Kevin were now preparing to go down to the floor and explore.

Edd's trademark hat was discarded on the queen bed, but his hair was hidden under a head cap while Kevin tried to put a wig onto his head.

"You know," Kevin said huskily. "This wig looks pretty good on ya. Maybe you should, I dunno, wear this around the house some time."

Eddward chuckled as Kevin tried to flirt with him. "If my new look is making you so flustered, I might just have to take you up on the offer." He laughed again behind his hand. "But we aren't home right now. We need to meet Ed and Eddy soon. Let's get your costume on now."


	40. Grocery Monster!

Since they'd begun living together, both guys began displaying traits that had been passed down to them by their parents.

Kevin started to come home after work and just lay on the couch with the sports channel on; he would crack open a beer and end up snoring by the first commercial break.

Soon after Kevin got home, Edd would arrive himself. He would lay a blanket over Kevin and pry the empty beer can from his limp grasp and then go to the kitchen to start dinner.

At six on the dot, Kevin would stumble into the dining area to find two plates full of delicious smelling food and Edd already sitting at the table, waiting for him.

Really, this all felt more like Kevin's old home with his parents. His father brought home the bacon and his mother cooked it. Just like how Kevin currently had the highest paying job between them and Edd did the cooking and cleaning around the house. Edd's family, from what Kevin had learned from the awkward, silent dinners at the old Vincent home, was distant and not used to loud noises or even company.

On the weekends, when both boys had the days off, Edd always scheduled a grocery trip to stock back up for the week ahead. Kevin would drive them to the local food mart and then follow Edd around as he seemed to know exactly what he was getting even without a list.

Okay, sometimes, Kevin would try and sneak junk food in the cart. But nothing too bad. Just a pack of cookies or some ice cream occasionally. Edd would only concede if Kevin promised to pick out vegetables that he would snack on at other times as well.

At the register, Kevin paid for the groceries and then would heft them into their car and drive them back home.

Once everything was put away, Edd would make them a snack and then the two would spend the rest of the Saturday watching mindless television until the sun went down.


	41. Awesome Friends

The football team was a big part of Kevin's social group in high school. He liked hanging out with them and they were pretty cool. Not to mention, they weren't the thickheaded pigs that a lot of the school thought them to be. They could be a bunch of gentlemen when the time called.

So, when Kevin hung out with his teammates at the mall or wherever he liked to invite Edd along. The nerd was as much a part of Kevin as was his team. It didn't hurt that the football team liked Edd as well. Like he said, they were cool dudes.

Sometimes, when it was just him and Edd, on a pseudo-date, they would bump into a player or two and end up all hanging out together.

When Kevin told his teammates that he and Edd were a thing, he'd honestly expected them to turn their backs on him; possibly even threaten him or beat him up. It was nothing more than a ridiculous thought, but it still scared him. Everyone had been real cool about it, though. They even joked about it and accepted Edd into their group.

Even on the off times Kevin was feeling romantic and just wanted to give Edd a big smooch on the cheek, he got teased like all the other guys when they kissed their girl friend. He thanked them for that, knowing it just meant he was still accepted despite his different tastes.

Eddward, when the team and Kevin were all hanging at Kevin's house, would sometimes tutor them. He rejoiced in having a chance to teach and the other appreciated the help to keep their grades up to stay on the team.

Kevin, with the best mates a guy could have and the absolutely best boyfriend a dude could hope for, really appreciated his acceptance and the tolerance that Peach Creek exerted to its students. If not for the small town, close-knit community, he didn't think he would have been able to just hang with his friends while also hanging out with his boyfriend openly.


	42. Pets can be Family

Kevin, twenty and looking to spend some of his family's stupid old money, kicked at the sidewalk as he stumbled along with the flow of the crowd down the strip mall. He every now and again glanced into a window and would imagine what would most piss of his parents. It wouldn't be the fact he'd spent money, they had loads, but the impracticality of it. He really needed something outlandish to satisfy his needs.

When two dumb kids ran in front of him, almost tripping him, Kevin stopped to look where he was. He still had a good few more shops before the strip mall ended so he decided to browse in the next door he found.

It ended up being a pet shop. Kevin hated animals. But so did his parents. That's why they'd always declined his childhood wishes of owning a dog. Damnit. Damn them.

A bunch of puppies wagged their tails and lolled their tongues as he passed their cages. Goldfish lined the walls along with snakes and other reptiles on either side of the relatively small shop. Kittens were after the puppies and then rabbits and other small mammals.

Kevin sighed. There was nothing that would immediately anger his parents; mildly anger them, maybe, but not something to make them completely flip their shits.

That is what Kevin thought, however, until he came to a slightly larger cage in the back. It was partially hidden by some bags of dog food and small bunches of hay.

The thing was sleeping, Kevin could tell because its eyes were closed and the breathing was even. It was big, about as big as a dog… It was a person!

Crouching down to open the cage, Kevin was suddenly stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

"If you are planning to steal out merchandise, I'll have to call the cops, kid," the man said sternly. Jumped back up, planning to object and question why the man had a person locked in a cage in a pet store when the person in the cage woke up and whimpered. The two men looked down.

"Great. It's awake," the storekeeper groaned. "Thanks kid," he said sarcastically.

"Wha—?" The person stretched as best they could and Kevin was able to see the large cat ears protruding from the top of their head. "Woah…"

"Mrreow."

"What the hell?"

"He's a cat-hybrid. They're rare and very expensive," a woman said. She had glasses and was smiling as she knelt down next to the cage. She pushed her fingers through the bars and the boy inside nudged them with his head and licked them.

"What?"

"They were first created by the government in a lab experimenting in cross-DNA genetics. The results were completely by accident. No one ever meant to create a half-cat, half-human animal.

Kevin watched as the boy meowed again and curled back up and shut his eyes. A soft purring sound could be heard as he fell back asleep.

"What the actual fuck."

The woman laughed. "We get a lot of that, actually, though the hybrids aren't exactly as rare as my brother makes them sound. They're just expensive to own so most of the lower classes don't ever hear about them."

"How much?"

The woman laughed again. "You know, if you have to ask…"

"If I ask, I'm planning on buying. How much?"

"Well, then, Smartie." She stood up and pulled a slip of paper out of a pocket. "This little guy is gonna run you about three million. That's an M. And then there's the food he requires and bedding and toys and stuff. He's not cheap and we don't sell hybrids to just anyone." She eyes Kevin. "We get a lot of perverts snooping around to get at Eddward."

"Eddward?"

"That's his name. I named him when he was little when we first got him."

"Well, I ain't no dirty perv. I'm just looking for something to harass my parents with. And Edd here looks like the perfect thing to drive them up the walls."

"Well, we don't sell for that either. Eddward deserves a good home where he'll be taken care of." She looked sternly at Kevin. "I'm afraid it's no deal."

Kevin sighed. "Fine. I kind of… you know, always wanted a pet since I was little. But my parents never allowed one so, yeah."

"I'm not dumb, kid. Prove to me you'll take care of Edd and then I might consider giving him to you."

And that was how Kevin ended up working at the little pet shop in downtown. His parents had to deal with him coming home smelling like animal piss and dead fish and he ate up every complaint like candy.

Finally, at the end of this sixth month, Eloise, the woman who was co-owner with her brother, Elliot, handed him a list of odds and ends of things a cat would need to stay happy and healthy. He gave her a look like she was stupid, but she just smiled and whistled as she wiped down the register and counter.

Then Kevin realized. He was getting to take Edd home today!

During his stay as an employee, Kevin had been able to learn about Edd. The little guy was super cute, something Kevin would never say in public or anywhere a living, breathing person could possibly hear. He was cute and had even grown on Kevin as something more than just revenge on his parents.

On the days he worked, he'd convinced Eloise to let Edd roam the store and the hybrid tended to follow Kevin like a duckling, keeping at his heels, on all fours, sniffing at the other cages and things that piqued his interest.

At the end of the day, with a leash in hand connecting him to Eddward and Eloise crying on Edd's shoulder as the hybrid sat leisurely, he was the proud owner of Eddward Vincent, a cat-hybrid that had cost him over three million smackaroos.

The hybrid followed Kevin on his leash and the man led his new pet down the street, ignoring the odd stares, but reveling in the attention he and Edd garnered.

At home, his mother was the first to come face to face with Edd. She screeched and shouted for her husband and the Barr family ended up in an emergency family meeting.

Eddward sat on the floor next to Kevin who sat on a chair in the kitchen. He'd set down a few toys for Edd to occupy himself with and he felt the hybrid moving around underneath the table.

His parents were pissed. No, they were beyond pissed. They were livid. They were fuming. They were aghast! Hell, they were speechless!

When his father threatened to drown Edd, Kevin threatened right back to move and never come back. His mother, for all her steaming anger, protested and told her husband if her child left, she would leave as well.

After a furious debate on why exactly Kevin had decided to act up and Kevin defending himself and just about losing his 'cool', he led Eddward up the stairs.

The hybrid was fascinated by his new surroundings. He sniffed everything and finally, after exploring, he plopped himself on Kevin's large bed and curled up, purring loudly. His tail flicked happily and his ears twitched, still listening to the new noises.


	43. King of the Cul-de-sac

Due to Ed's artistic genius, Kevin was now in possession of two of the greatest props that would help him get laid in existence!

On one arm, an orange mess of soft fabric was thrown and on the other, a pure white blob.

"Hey, Double D!" Kevin called into their house as he threw the door open. Edd, sitting on the couch, sipping tea and watching a documentary on plastic, jumped and spilled the caffeine on his lap. Thank goodness it was cold, or else Kevin would be getting nothing tonight, despite his quite extensive planning.

"Yes? What is it?" Edd asked as he tried to wipe up the mess.

"Oh, nothing. I just have a surprise for you." He waggled the garments flowing over his arms. "But you don't get to know exactly what they are until tonight." He smirked, knowing Edd's curiosity would eventually get the better of him and end up dragging Kevin to their bedroom well before sun down.

And just like he'd imagined, at five-thirty, Eddward took hold of Kevin's arm and led him up the staircase, wondering aloud what the surprise could be.

"They're handmade to fit us," Kevin explained. Eddward looked at him with inquisitive eyes that just made his soul shiver with excitement.

"What are they," Edd asked as he saw the two outfits laid on their bed. He picked the orange one up and examined the detail. "I can't say I've ever seen something like this. Are they pajamas?"

"Something like that."

"Well, they're cute. Thank you Kevin." He smiled and laughed and headed to the bathroom to change, but Kevin stopped him.

"Ah ah. The white one is yours. This one's mine." He switched and the two changed quickly.

"They're called kigurumis," Kevin explained more once Eddward was back in the room. He was exerting a good amount of will power not to just pounce on his partner. The white fabric surrounding his black hair was just too God damned adorable!

"Kigu? That sounds vaguely familiar."

"Yeah, well," Kevin sidled up to Edd, wrapping an arm around his slim waist. "I was thinking, to break this puppies in," he whispered close to Edd's ear, blowing on it, tempting his lover.

Eddward shivered. "O-Oh, well. Oh dear." He quivered and his knees knocked together. He was putty in Kevin's hands. "I-I think I might have to take you up on your offer, Kevin."

The kigurumis, with their cat ears and detail to resemble Tom and Duchess from "The Aristocats", did not stay on long. Kevin, as much as the look of Edd in a cat suit made the blood rush to his nether regions, could not stand to have his lover covered any longer and quickly removed the newly donned suits.


	44. Yours and Mine

They were in a supply closet. A supply closet in a store, no less! These thoughts crossed Eddward's mind just as Kevin began slipping buttons through holes and roaming his hands on exposed flesh.

They could be caught and even be charged with public indecency! Dear Lord, what had he—

Good Lord!

Eddward flushed darkly, panting as Kevin squeezed a certain erogenous area. He pressed his face into Kevin's shoulder, biting the shirt that covered it. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.

Kevin squeezed and stroked and Dear Lord, he was so good at it.

Eddward moved upward to press a kiss to Kevin's lips, taking them for his own, trying to give Kevin the same other worldly feelings the red-head gave him. His arms wrapped around his neck and Kevin hefted Edd against the wall, prompting him to wrap his legs around his waist as well.

Now Edd was pantless and sweating and probably dirty, but he couldn't seem to gather up enough common sense to care.

Kevin bit at Eddward's lips, exploring his mouth when given access.

This time, Eddward slipped the button holding Kevin's pants open. The zipper was slowly drawn down, louder in the quiet, tiny room than it should have been. It sent thrills up Edd's spine and down Kevin's stomach.

Kevin groaned into Edd's mouth when the nerd touched him, soft and hesitant, but good and warm and God damnit! Edd was just too good for his own good.

The red-head prompted Edd to continue and he pushed his hips closer to Edd's, creating contact between their exposed selves.

Edd moaned loudly and he slapped a hand over his mouth, leaning away from Kevin, stopping his actions down below.

"C'mon, babe," Kevin panted quietly. He leaned in to kiss Edd again. "We're almost done. Then we can go home and—" Edd covered Kevin's mouth before he could finish.

He picked up his motions and Kevin soon moaned into Edd's mouth once more as warmth spread between them.

The two slumped to the floor, sitting on each other and panting and still kissing.

"W-We should leave soon," Edd spoke up after a moment. "We could get caught and get into serious trouble."

Kevin bit softly at Edd's ear. "Let them catch us. I like the idea of them knowing your mine."

Edd blushed heavily. "If I am yours, then you must be mine."

Kevin nodded, giving Edd one last kiss before they started to clean up.


	45. Sweet Treat

Kevin wasn't much of an ice cream eater. He got headaches easily and the icy treat just didn't appeal to him. Eddward, in all his dory glory, thought this to be blasphemous and tried to find something cold that Kevin would like.

They ended up meeting in the middle on frozen yoghurt.

Kevin ate it up. It was delicious and cold and he didn't get as many headaches as he did when he ate ice cream.

There were a lot more flavours as well.

Eddward liked the soy flavours, but Kevin liked to go full sugar-holic and get things like birthday cake and triple chocolate cake with sprinkles and chocolate bits on top. Eddward always pretended to gag when he ate the first bite. Kevin did the same when Edd got things like soy almond. Who goes to get fro-yo and then gets soy almond? Dork.

Either way.

When they went to treat themselves, they would sit in the hip store, very modern, colourful furniture in the lobby that just screamed things like 'Southern California' and 'health nut'. Or they would sit outside in the sun on the patio set the store owned.

The two would chat and laugh and sometimes kiss, mixing flavours that didn't always taste so great.


	46. Playground Sweetheart

Ellowyn was made fun of for her name since she was little. The teachers never pronounced it correctly during roll and the other children told her it was a terrible name. Ellowyn knew this was the schoolyard bullying her mother had warned her about, but she still couldn't help but let it hurt when the girls and boys laughed at her on the playground and in the classroom.

When they said it was a stupid, ugly name, Ellowyn tried to tell them she was named after a tree, she was only made fun of more.

One day, while Ellowyn sniffled to herself, sticking close to the teachers so the other children wouldn't try and bully her, a red-headed girl hopped up to her. Her smile was large and her hair was wild as it stuck out everywhere under a sun hat she used to block out the bright, summer sun.

Ellowyn just put her head back down, thinking the girl wouldn't try anything with the teachers watching so nearby. At least, she hoped so.

"What's your name? I'm Keagan."

Ellowyn looked back up, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Why are you cryin'? Was the boys bein' mean? I'll pound 'em if they were." The girl smiled bright and wide. "So, what's your name?"

"I-It's Ellowyn," she said, ignoring the terrible butchery of the English language that Keagan used.

"That's a different name. It's not a boy name too, right? Mines a boy name too and I don't like it much. The boys call me one. I don't like boys, though." She ground her teeth, the pretty smile temporarily tampered. "They're big and stupid. Girls are way better. Right, Elly?"

Ellowyn stared at the girl with bright red hair. "I-I guess so. Though, I don't really think either gender is better than the other."

Keagan laughed. "You talk funny." Ellowyn frowned. "I like that. It makes you sound smart. My mom says I should try and sound smart too. Do you know how I can sound smart? She sat down in the dirt next to Ellowyn, letting her sandals kick up some sand.

"O-Oh, um," Ellowyn tried to find her words, but she was just too flustered. Not many children were nice to her. And even fewer stayed nice. "I-I guess you could read?"

"Nah," Keagan said. "I don't like readin' much. I like watching T.V. though. Can I watch T.V. to sound smart?"

"W-Well, my mother doesn't let me watch television so I wouldn't know." Ellowyn giggled at Keagan's reaction.

"What?! That's insane! So you've never seen Spongebob?" Ellowyn shook her head.

"I don't think I can say I have."

"Well, what do you do for fun?"

"I like to read and I like to watch mother sew."

Keagan laughed again. It seemed she was just a ball of wonder. "That's silly, but if you like it, I guess it can be fun. Not for me, though."

"Why are you talking to me?" Ellowyn asked suddenly. She nearly instantly regretted asking it when Keagan gave her an odd look. She put her head back down, waiting for the other girl to just leave.

"You looked kind of lonely," Keagan said quietly. "I saw some boys pushing you yesterday. I beat them up earlier," Keagan showed a scrape on her elbow to Ellowyn. "They pushed me down too, but I beat them up for being mean to a girl. My dad says boys aren't supposed to be mean to girls."

"Father tells me that too."

"Yeah, so you looked all said and you aren't playing on the playground with everyone else. I thought you could use someone to talk with. My mother says I'm a great talker."

Ellowyn giggled again behind her hand. "Your mother is right. You are a wonderful talker."

"Hey," Keagan said as she stood up. The bell had rung and the children were all lining up to go back inside. "If you want to talk some more you can. I'm in Mrs. Nessa's class. If you want you can come over today after school. My mom would love to know I made a friend today!" Keagan held her hand out to Ellowyn.

The ravenette stared at the hand and gently took it after Keagan waved it, prompting her. "I-I would have to ask mother and, I would have to know where you live, or at least your last name so we can look it up in the phone book," Ellowyn rambled. She feared in the back of her mind that Keagan would just laugh and take her offer back, saying it was all a joke.

"My last name's Barr. B-a-r-r. And my parent's names are David and Rosie. I hope you can come over today. I'll tell my mom when I get home, so tell your mom too."

After she was sat back in class, getting ready for an English lesson, Ellowyn was still smiling to herself, proud with herself that she had made her very first friend.


	47. Different Style, Same People

After seeing Double D in nothing but shorts, Kevin thought the skinny jeans were a nice upgrade. Edd's legs were thing and he had legs for days. The jeans just made him look delicious. Kevin wiped at his mouth, feeling slightly embarrassed at drooling over an image of his boyfriend.

Eddward stepped out of the dressing room nervously. He held the door tightly in his hands, ready to retreat back in should Kevin laugh at how ridiculous he looked. These jeans were just absolutely ludicrous. He cleared his throat when Kevin didn't look up from his phone.

Kevin stared at Edd for a few minutes. "Turn around," he said and Eddward, still nervous and self-conscious, did as he was told.

"I look horrid in these," he said quietly, face flushed bright red. "I don't know why I thought they would look nice."

"No!" Kevin exclaimed, getting a few stares from the other guys sitting on the lumpy chairs around the changing room. "You look real good," he said, stepping towards Edd. "Really."

"I don't know. I don't think I would feel comfortable enough walking around in public with these on."

Kevin conceded. "If you're not comfortable you don't have to wear them, but I think you look great." He smiled nicely at Eddward and pecked his lips. "Now, try everything else on and come show me." He pushed Edd back and shut the door. "Don't forget the shoes."

Kevin fiddled with his phone a while more, starting to think Edd had been swallowed by some kind of retail wormhole, when the door opened again and Eddward stepped out in the skinny jeans he'd previously been wearing. Now his red shirt was replaced by a loose black and white stripped blouse. On his dainty feet were black boots that fed up his leg to just below his knees.

"I-I don't know. I feel stupid in this," he said quietly, not wanting to catch any attention in his outfit. "I think I'll just stick with the attire I already own."

"No, no, no," Kevin protested. "You look damn gorgeous in this."

Eddward frowned. "It's nice of you to think so, but this outfit is just not me, if you understand. I don't think I could wear it. I don't even know where I would wear it to."

"Here," Kevin said. "If you get this outfit, you put it on and I'll take you to the place it would look right at. But you have to get everything."

Eddward squirmed in the doorway of the dressing room, but he finally conceded. "If that's what you wish, I guess I could…"

"Great. We can break it in tonight." Kevin said with a smirk, pushing Edd back in once more and then getting to work making reservations and important calls.


	48. Morning Glory

Eddward woke up at promptly six thirty every morning. He immediately went to brush his teeth, floss, and rinse his mouth with mouth wash. Then he showered for ten minutes, making sure he was thoroughly cleansed before padding back to his bedroom to get dressed in a previously pressed outfit waiting in his closet for him.

His hat was back on his head by seven o'clock sharp.

By seven-ten, Eddward was beginning breakfast (he always left time for marginal error), adjusting his proportions depending on who would or would not be joining him that morning. Today, mother and father were home so he added two extra eggs and four pieces of bacon. He made two extra bowls of oatmeal and sliced open an extra grapefruit.

At seven-thirty, Eddward was seated at the table, waiting for his parents to join him before he started eating. Father read the morning news while his mother answered her pager. Eddward silently ate his breakfast and when his family was done, he did the dishes and they went over plans for the day.

Depending on the types of chores Mother and Father wanted done, Edd would be ready to head out the door to hang out with Ed and Eddy or Kevin by eight o'clock on the dot.

This morning, by eight-o-seven, Eddward found himself standing outside Kevin's house, waiting for the door to be opened and allowed entrance.

-0-

Kevin woke up when he damn well felt like. Like, today, he'd stayed up until stupid o'clock and now he was catching up on his sleep. It was Saturday so he could sleep until three if he wanted to and no one could say anything.

A knock at his bedroom door, though, derailed his plans to sleep all day, eat dinner, and sleep some more.

His mother said something and he nodded into his pillow, mumbling a "Yes, mom, I will."

Apparently she hadn't been happy with that answer because suddenly Kevin was freezing and his blanket was no-where to be found.

"I said," she said sternly. "Eddward is waiting in the kitchen. If you don't want to keep him waiting I expect you to get showered and dressed quickly." With that she shut his door, leaving the lights on.

Kevin leapt out of bed. Shit! He was supposed to meet Edd today. Damn it. He wobbled as he made his way to his dresser. He was still sort of loopy from the late night, but he had to be quick so Edd didn't think he'd forgotten about their date. Shit, shit, shit.

Kevin hopped into the upstairs shower, brushing his teeth with one hand while the other scrubbed at his scalp. He got suds in his eyes, but couldn't slow down to deal with it. He rinsed his eyes and kept getting ready, trying not to look ruffled as he did so.

Ten minutes after his mother had woken him, Kevin made his way, suavely down the stairs. His hair was slicked back and he had a nice jacket on over a dress shirt.

Eddward was sitting at the table, talking with his mother. He was giggling at something and his mother was laughing as well.

"Well, here's the zombie now," she exclaimed. She pushed a plate of food over to him as he sat down next to Edd. He grumbled to her and started to shovel the food down.

"Eddward was just telling me how he was ready by seven o'clock," Kevin's mother said with a smirk in her voice. She smiled sweetly at her son who just glared at her with red eyes and dark shadows.

"It's only part of my schedule. Mother and Father don't take laziness lightly," Eddward said with a smile, not noticing Kevin's hostility towards his mother.

"Well, Eddward, how about you try and get my son to get up before noon? I haven't been able to, but I'm sure you have a few tricks up your sleeve." She smiled again and left the two on their own.

Kevin mumbled under his breath, but nudged Edd in the shoulder, smiling and the two began talking, planning the things they would do today.


	49. Long Days

The day had been a long one. Eddward had gym that day and since the weather had been nice, the coach had the class running laps on the track. That always left him tuckered out, the poor dork. That, coupled with a test in his biology class, Eddward could defiantly say he was wiped.

As soon as he'd gotten back to his dorm, he'd fallen into bed, throwing all sanitation to the wind. He slipped his shoes off with his toes and let them fall to the floor, not caring they could possibly track dirt on the clean floors. He pulled his hat off, letting his hair air out and curled up in bed, yawning wide.

His roommate was not there yet, but he would be soon.

Kevin, on a similar note, had a long day as well. First, he had been late for his math lecture and the professor had decided to rant on about the importance of promptness. Then, at lunch, he'd gotten salad dressing all over his shirt and he didn't have enough time to go back to his dorm and change before his next class so he had to sit through chemistry with a huge stain on the front of his shirt. He's heard the two blonde girls behind him snickering at him the whole hour and a half. Then, finally, to top the cherry on the cake, he'd messed up at practice and now he had to sit out the next game on probation.

Kevin's day just wasn't in his favour, but when he opened the door to his dorm and found Eddward fast asleep on his bed, all rumpled hair and rumpled clothing, he couldn't help but melt and forget all the troubles he'd had during the day.

Quietly, Kevin toed off his shoes and pulled off his jacket and shirt, leaving his pants over the chair at his desk. He crawled into Eddward's bed, lying behind him, laying an arm around him.

The two fit together nicely, Kevin liked to think. Edd was only a bit shorter than him and there were similar body shape, but neither was fat or awkward. They were made for each other, honestly.

Eddward yawned after Kevin had settled down. He rolled over, catching Kevin's eyes and jumped.

"Dear Lord!" He exclaimed, hand to his heart. "You scared me terribly!"

Kevin smirked. "Sorry 'bout that, love. You just looked so damn cute, I couldn't help myself."

"Yes, well." Eddward lay back down, pulling Kevin's hand back over his side. He leaned his head back so it touched Kevin's shoulder. "I had a terrible day today," he mumbled.

"Me too. You wouldn't believe. It was like Luck herself was just taking all her anger out on me today."

Eddward chuckled tiredly. "Well, I don't think I had any bad luck. I'm just complaining." He yawned.

Kevin pressed a kiss to Edd's temple. "Tell me 'bout it?"

"It's silly. I ran track today after a major biology test, nothing too traumatic," Eddward said. "How was your terrible day?"

"Well," Kevin kissed Edd again, "I was late for class, spilled food on myself, got laughed at, and now I'm on probation for baseball until the game after next."

"Oh dear," Eddward said. "I'm sorry, Kevin. Is there anything I could do to help to alleviate your troubles?"

Kevin laughed and shook his head. "Nah, just lay here with me and I'll feel better."

"Do you mind if I fall asleep? I really am quite tired out after the laps today." He yawned once more and sniffled.

"Nah, get some rest. I'll fall asleep soon too."

Edd leaned back around and gave Kevin a kiss on the lips. "I hope your tomorrow is better than your today."


	50. Sunday

On lazy, summer Sundays, Kevin and Eddward would lie on the swing chair on the back porch and read and just enjoy the other's company.

The gentle rocking and the soft breeze on a cool day would eventually rock them both to sleep and a few hours later, the two would stretch out, popping joints that had locked up in the odd positions they fell asleep in.

Sundays were stew day since it was easiest.

After a bit of reading and a nap, the two would sit down to some stew and bread and butter. They would talk about future plans or work or friends. Sometimes they would watch the news or a comedy show or a movie as they ate.

Once everything was cleaned up, the two would lay in bed, tangled together under the blankets. Kevin would always initiate things on Sunday. It was like an unwritten rule that Kevin lead them in coitus on Sundays.

Their love was lazy on Sunday, just like everything else that day. It was slow and sometimes messy, but it was relaxing and wonderful and a nice end to the day.

In the morning, on Monday when everything started again, Eddward would have breakfast ready once Kevin got up for work or school, whichever came first that day.

The two would hardly see each other during the work week and the fast pace was sometimes too much and one or the other would be fast asleep once the other had gotten home.

The lazy Sundays were just what they needed and just what they had.


	51. Snobs and Bowties

Eddward had been invited to attend an art gallery by Marie one day. He was allotted one guest and now he and Kevin were being fitted for formal, black tie suits so they could blend with the crowd while they browsed the art and pretended to know exactly what they were looking at.

"Why do we have to do this, Edd? It's just gonna be a bunch of snobby richies," Kevin groaned as the tailor took his measurements so she could mend his suit to his size.

"We're going to support Marie in her first big premiere. She's been working very hard on her art and the least we could do is honor her invitation by showing up for a few hours."

"Well, don't expect me to play nice if any of those bastards is rude."

Eddward chuckled. "I wouldn't dream of it, Kevin."

Marie met the two boys outside of the gallery. She kissed Edd's cheek and slapped Kevin a bit too hard on the back. Kevin grumbled and Eddward took his arm and led them in behind Marie.

The place was packed with suits and dresses. The walls were bursting with paintings and abstract photos. Sculptures and live models were placed strategically around the floor. Kevin thought it all looked very posh and snobby.

Edd and Marie talked for a while, the girl leading them around to her own pieces, bragging and explaining. Kevin followed behind them, silent and glaring. God help any who try and talk to him while he was there tonight.

Not long after they had arrived, his tie and collar started getting a bit tight and Kevin started tugging at them, sweating a little. Edd swatted his hand from his collar, giving him a stern look, warning him if he didn't behave there would be consequences.

Finally, a man with a microphone told them the auction would be starting and he and Edd were free to leave any time.

But Edd wanted to stay a bit longer. Of course.

So Kevin powered through another hour of complete and utter hell, an itchy collar, too-tight tie, and being squeezed next to two old, snobby biddies.

Once they had finally, finally! had gotten home, Kevin threw his tie to the ground, ignoring Edd's reprimand, tore of his jacket and dress shirt and flung his pants across the room, as far from him as he could.

Edd shook his head at Kevin, picking up the suit and hanging it up to take to the cleaners the next day. He then took a set of pajamas and a hanger and went to change in the en suit.

When he got back, Kevin was laid out on the bed, beckoning him forth with a sly smile plastered on his lips and a smoldering look in his eyes. Edd shivered and quickly set the hanger down next to Kevin's.


	52. Dancing

The Yule Ball was magnificent. Snow fell from the powdery black sky of the transformed Great Hall. Frozen trees made of ice decorated the sidelines. The winter-theme, to some, was a bit overdone, but it held a gentle charm that set the mood for the magical evening that Hogwarts would be hosting.

Beauxbatons girls tittered together on one side of the Hall, waiting for the boys of Hogwarts and Durmstrang to gather their courage from the floor and ask them for a dance. Even a few giddy Hogwarts dames flittered about, eyeing the boys.

At the opposite end, the boys, Hogwarts and Durmstrang alike, huddled together, much like the girls, though they weren't tittering or flittering. They were waiting for that one guy to be the first so they didn't have to.

Finally, Nat, the spunky teal-haired Metamorphmagus in Hufflepuff jumped from the leagues of guys, dragging a much protesting Slytherin with him, butting in between a dance with Headmistress McGonagall and Professor Longbottom. Rave apologized to his two teachers while simultaneously berating Nat who was swinging his legs and waving his arms like the Weїrd Sisters had finally gotten back together.

After that, the two sides seemed to rush at each other, couples finding each other and friends finally feeling more comfortable than to just mingle on the outside of the dance floor.

Edd sat at one of the tables, waiting for his date. He watched the mass of teenagers dance to some Muggle rock-inspired magical band. The crowded floor just wasn't his style. Maybe Kevin would be here soon?

The shy Ravenclaw waited patiently, waving hello a few times to fellow classmates who passed by with their own dates. Nazz asked him where Kevin was, but Eddward could not answer her. The beautiful Gryffindor shook her head and assured him the red-head would be there soon and then pulled Marie away to a more secluded area to dance slowly.

Before he knew it, the clock was almost at midnight. The ball would end at twelve on the dot, as was tradition, and the students would be asked to clear out so that clean-up could begin. Eddward smiled to himself. At least he got to listen to the different music.

Just as he was about to retire for the night and change into pajamas to read in front of the fire in the common room for a few hours, he was tapped on the shoulder. Eddward jumped and spun around to find Kevin, immaculate dress robes hanging from his shoulders.

The Ravenclaw wanted to smile, he really did, but he could only form a sort of half-smirk that looked more like a grimace as tears welled up in his eyes. Kevin knew how much the dance had been to him. He'd wanted them to have a wonderful time together, but Kevin had been late. As usual.

"Hey, babe," Kevin said quietly, frowning when Edd didn't jump into his arms. "What's wrong?"

Eddward shook his head. "Nothing, Kevin," he said. He sighed heavily, his chest heaving with a quiver as he tugged his hand from Kevin's. "I-I was just going to return to the Tower."

"But, why? The last song hasn't played yet."

Edd shook his head again. "I don't feel very up to dancing anymore, Kevin."

"But," Kevin stopped himself, watching as Edd didn't let him finish before he began walking away again, his head down and his feet shuffling across the floor, his dress robes billowing around his ankles, tripping him up a few times.

"He waited there all night for you."

Kevin leapt up. "What?" he asked, turning to Nat.

His Meta friend smiled sadly, a terrible look for him. "Double Cutie sat there in that chair all damn night waiting for your dumb ass to come and dance with him."

Kevin cursed under his breath.

Rave, beside Nat, spoke up, "You'd better find a fucking great way to make it up to the kid, you ass. 'Cause if that were me, I'd fucking make you beg."

Nat and Rave left Kevin to his own devices a moment later, leaving in the same direction as Edd.

"He really did wait, Kev," Nazz said as she and Marie came up. The two were sweaty from a long night of dancing and other things.

"Doll-face wouldn't even come with me and Nazzy so he wasn't alone all night." Marie punched Kevin's arm. "You're such an ass, Barr. What took you?"

Kevin rubbed his arm but didn't answer. He didn't have an answer. He didn't even have an excuse. Not a good one, anyway. "I just… kind of forgot," he mumbled after forever.

The two girls stared at him like he'd been hit with a Furnunculus curse. Kevin just stared at the floor.

"You really are an ass, Kevin," Nazz told him. Kevin nodded. "If I were you, I'd go beg Edd to forgive me, but I don't think Edd really wants to see you right now."

"I know," he mumbled. "But, could you try and see if he will? Just in case," he asked, looking at Marie. The Ravenclaw girl rolled her eyes and cocked her hip.

"If he doesn't want to see you, I'm not making Edd talk to you. You'll just have to wait for him to let you," she said then flipping her dress and walking toward the Ravenclaw Tower.

Nazz stayed with Kevin for a moment. "You should come with and stay down the hall a bit," she said, "while Marie works her charm."


	53. Green Juice Mondays

They'd bought a ton of produce last night, Kevin recalled when he woke up that morning. Three bunches of celery, a dozen heads of different leafy greens, a multitude of fruits and veggies and so on and so forth. Oh God. That could only mean one thing.

While he showered and dressed for the day, Kevin hoped the worst had not happened and Edd was sitting in the kitchen, a batch of pancakes sitting in front of him, waiting for Kevin to join him in their normal breakfast marry-time.

As he set foot down the staircase, everything seemed normal. No weird odors wafted from the illuminated kitchen doorway. Edd's shadow could be seen as he moved around. Kevin counted a few of his chickens.

In the living room, just a few feet from the kitchen, all was still well, nothing raising red flags, telling him to "Abort! Abort!"

And low and behold – when Kevin rushed into the kitchen, expecting a plate of flapjacks with that tooth –decayingly sweet syrup that Edd liked on the table, a few links of sausage and some bacon on a plate in front of the seat he always sat at, Kevin was thoroughly disappointed when no pig-based products sat on the table and no pancakes could be found anywhere.

Instead, there stood Edd with… That.

That beast. That monster. That… Thing!

"Good morning, dear," Edd said sweetly as he cut up celery and apples. A large amount of fruits, vegetables, and a variety of nuts and legumes were already piled around the counter near Edd. And to his left, plugged in and ready to destroy Kevin's day was the one piece of machinery that Kevin loathed with a passion.

"I'm almost ready to start juicing," Edd told him as he finished chopping the celery into manageable pieces. "Is there something you would like specifically?" He smiled as he wiped his hands on a dishrag thrown over his shoulder. He looked at Kevin expectantly.

"Uh…" Kevin fumbled for words, grasping for something, anything!

"Uh…"

Eddward giggled. "I know you're not a morning person, but syllables and sentences are best for communication."

"Uh…"

Eddward shook his head. "If you don't want anything, then I'm just making the usual. All the juice should be ready in just a short time. I'm trying a few new recipes along with the usual, so I hope you don't mind." And with that, the first beet was pulverized.

Kevin groaned mentally as he slumped at the table. Urgh! He hated juicing; juicing and everything that came with it because it couldn't just stop of juice. No, there had to be that disgusting pulp stuff that Edd liked to dehydrate and make crackers or freeze and use for vegetarian soup base. Kevin liked when it was used for compost, though. Let the worms deal with it. As long as it wasn't him!

"So, uh," he said casually, trying not to seem suspicious or, you know, completely dead set against the idea of binging on grass juice. "How long are we cleansing?"

"Just the week," Edd said as he pressed a few carrots through the juicer. The drink that came out looked like dirt. Kevin shuddered. "We can cleanse and then feel much better for a while. No need to go crazy," he joked sweetly. Kevin rolled his eyes.

"So just this week. Until Sunday?"

"Yes, dear." And like that, the first batch of hell in a jar was done, tightly sealed in a neat mason jar with a label proclaiming the date in blocky letters.

Kevin tapped away at his phone, listening and cringing every time the accursed juicer machine whirred to life, puking out brightly coloured slime. Ten minutes before he was due to leave for work, Edd set a neatly sealed thermos in front of him, a folded sticky note taped to the cup.

Edd smiled at him expectantly. "I've given you a mix of mostly fruits. I know you don't like these drinks much, but the health benefits are plentiful so I think you can power through a few days of torture." He kissed the top of Kevin's head. "Don't be expecting steak for dinner though."

Kevin grumbled and rolled his eyes, kissing Eddward back. "Yeah, yeah. What are we having, then?"

"A wheatgrass drink with some vegetarian stew. I have enough pulp left over to make a few crackers to go with it. And…" Edd leaned up to peck Kevin's cheek once more before he left out the door. Kevin wrapped his arms around Edd's waist, leaning in as well.

"Hmm?"

"We might be having fish as well," he smirked, winking and shutting the front door in Kevin's face.

Damn that dork was good.


	54. Werewolves of Baja

Kevin shot of a series of stunner spells, aiming high and low at the multitude of targets getting closer and closer to him and Edd. The dork was beside him, alternating sending flares into the sky and casting shields around them.

"I can't keep them back, Edd," Kevin shouted. "You need to help!"

"I-I'm trying! But I'm not as well versed in offensive skills as you are!" Eddward shouted back. He sent up another shield just as the last one was blasted apart.

"Shit, c'mon!" Kevin threw a stinging hex at a man's face, hoping it would be as effective as he thought. The man fell, clutching at his eyes and screaming. Kevin, smirking, began firing more stinging hexes at random, hitting people in every direction.

An opening cleared out and Kevin grabbed Edd's hand and they raced through, still firing shots behind them. As soon as they'd passed the anti-apparition wards, the two held tightly to the other and disappeared suddenly.

When the crack that signaled their arrival to their destination sounded in their ears and the tug at their navels stopped and the world stopped spinning, they realized they were in a forest. Not the same forest they had been in, but still a forest.

Trees loomed over them and winter frost covered the ground. When they were sure they were alone, Kevin let out a terribly loud shout. He shouted for a long time, Eddward covering his ears and clenching his eyes shut. When the red-head was done, the two set up camp, not talking for a while.

"They almost had us, Edd," Kevin said as he cooked the freshly caught rabbit over the fire they'd conjured. "They could have gotten you."

"I had to warn the others," Eddward defended lightly. He held his hands in front of the magical fire, soaking in the warmth. "It would be unfair not to warn them that Aurors were hunting in those woods."

"Dammit! They almost had us!" Kevin shouted, making Edd flinch away. He calmed down almost instantly. With a softer voice he said, "I couldn't live with myself if those bastards tortured you. I was worried." And as an afterthought he added, "I'm sorry I shouted."

"I-It's fine. I'm sorry I worried you so much. Next time I will help with the offensive battling."

"Next time we just need to make sure we aren't caught off guard. The moon will be the night after next. We need to find a secure location away from any possible attack."

Eddward stared at the sizzling meat on carved sticks. He didn't like the moon much. Or the long nights that came with it.

"Next time," he said quietly. "There shouldn't be a next time. We should move south."

"Why south?"

"Because no one would expect a werewolf to live in a tropical area. The woods and the dirty city, yes, but not a remote island or seaside paradise." Edd gave Kevin a tiny smile. "We could go to an island with few inhabitants and no one would be any the wiser. We wouldn't have to put up with any more meddlesome Aurors."

Kevin thought about what Edd said as they ate. He liked the no Aurors part, but would living further south really throw them off? Hell, if it got him out of these damn woods and somewhere the sun didn't come out once every other year, he'd go for it.

"Alright."

Edd perked up and smiled.

"We can go south, but I'm picking where we stay."

Eddward smiled very brightly and hugged Kevin enthusiastically.


	55. Mothers and Father Know

Eddward sat on the couch as his father too sat in the living room. The daily news of the town was folded neatly, laying at a ninety degree angle on the arm rest. The breaths Edd took were shaky and hesitant at best. His father always was a stern man who emitted very intimidating vibes.

In the kitchen, Eddward's mother was preparing tea before the family talk. Edd hoped she was opting for chamomile with lavender. He prayed she was doing just that.

Father stared at the wall just behind Eddward, looking not at him, but next to him. Eddward kept his eyes trained on the glossy cover of a science magazine. He'd been reading it off and on since it arrived in the mail a few days earlier. He'd been reading it just a few minutes ago as well, until Father decided to sit and stare, signaling something was going to happen.

Mother sat down next to Eddward, handing him a mug of tea, giving her husband one, and then taking a small sip from her own cup. Eddward drank deeply from his, grateful for the calming herb drink.

"Eddward," his father said after a moment. Mother touched her hand to his and smiled; this didn't help his nerves one bit.

"Eddward, honey," Mother said sweetly. "You're father and I would like to confront something with you."

"Yes? Has it to do with school? I've already finished my applications. Have the university letters come back so soon?" His gaze kept flicking between his parents, not sure which to favour.

"No, son, you're applications have not yet been processed." Father took another drought of tea, leaving Eddward on the edge of his seat. "We, your mother and I, have been meaning to ask you about a certain friend of yours."

"Yes? Who may that be?"

"A Mr. Kevin Barr, Eddward."

"We've been noticing him to display a certain off-putting aura," his mother spoke up, alleviating a bit of Edd's nerves. "His nature from when you were children leads me to believe that his near-constant 'watching' of our house is meaning that he is bullying you in some way." She looked at her son with concern. "He is not making any brutish remarks or trying to assert dominance, is he?"

Eddward blush. Of course they would start to notice Kevin! He was like a hawk and Edd his prey; though, in a completely non-predacious nature. Kevin was more like the hawk that stalks his prey, making sure none else gets to it. Protective, if you will.

"No, Mother. I assure you Kevin is not by any means bullying me. In fact, he is doing the opposite. Kevin has been making amends to our somewhat colourful childhood by befriending me and trying to get along with Ed and Eddy."

"You still are friends with those two boys?" his father said sternly, a small frown on his lips. Eddward shrunk back onto the couch.

"Why, yes, Father, I am," Edd said, somewhat defiantly. "They are my friends and I shall not abandon them. That would be rude and not at all gentlemanly."

Eddward's mother rolled her eyes, shaking her eyes. "Roger," she warned. "We've discussed this. Eddward is allowed whatever friends he chooses. He is an upstanding young man and able to make righteous decisions. What we are discussing is this Kevin character." She looked back at Eddward primly. "Is that not correct, honey?"

Eddward nodded hesitantly, thankful his mother was tactful and resourceful in the art of subject changing.

"So, honey, how has Kevin been trying to befriend you? Has he gone down a more traditional, out-right approach or…?"

"Oh, um," Eddward fumbled with his words, blushing slightly and fidgeting. "H-He was very forward in his advances. But not at all brutish like you may think. He's actually a very sweet boy and very kind as well."

Mother smiled warmly and patted her son's shoulder. "That's wonderful, honey. Now, please, tell me, how long has he been harboring romantic feelings for you?"

Eddward chocked on the last of his tea. His mother patted his back lightly, still smiling while his father shifted his gaze slightly more to the right of Eddward.

"Yes, son," he said smoothly, in the deep voice only an experienced father could have. "It is much too easy to connect the dots. I have more than once caught Mr. Barr in the act of staring at your bedroom window at different times of the day."

"That and he's a very easy person to understand and read," Mother said with a cat-like smirk. "I caught him entering his home with a bouquet of roses and the very same flowers are now sat on your desk beside your cacti."

Eddward was mortified. He was completely and utterly mortified. His mother was smiling like a child, very satisfied to have figured out her son. Father was still gazing next to him, not at him.

"Yes. Mother and Father, Kevin and I have been engaging in romantic activities. Although! I can assure you we have done nothing before first thoroughly discussing our options and alternatives. Kevin has been very educated and polite through our relationship." Edd glanced at his father, hoping he would meet his look.

"Eddward, I cannot say that I am happy, but as long as you are mature during this relationship with Mr. Barr, I must admit I have no qualms or objections to your decisions in which your partner may be." His father sat up straight in his chair, giving Eddward a quick glance into his eyes before setting his tea cup onto a coaster on the coffee table.

"But I have one simple request and rule," he said suddenly, startling Eddward out of his easiness.

"W-What may that be, Father?"

"I will need to formally meet Mr. Barr and any other prospects. If I deem any suitors unworthy, then you must accept my decision at face value. Is that acceptable to you, Eddward?"

"Y-Yes, father. That is very acceptable. But, um, when would you like to meet Kevin? Or, more so, how would you like to meet him?"

"I think dinner tomorrow here would suffice. I assume you will inform him and his attendance will be guaranteed?" Eddward nodded.

"Thank you, Father. For being very understanding. I am under the impression Kevin's own parents are not as accepting to his decisions as you and Mother are. Thank you." He smiled to both his parents, thoroughly relieved and somewhat nervous for the dinner tomorrow night with Kevin and his father in close quarters. Hopefully his trouble-maker partner would tone down his antics and measure his speech to a more appropriate level of maturity, if only for Edd.


	56. Sometime They Don't Assume Right

The dinner had gone over smoothly. Eddward helped his mother make a delicious risotto and lemon chicken to go with it. Father sat in his chair while his family made dinner. He read the news and pushed his glasses up his nose every now and again.

At six, when the doorbell rang, he announced he would get it, and opened the door to see a scruffy teenager nervously fidgeting on his doorstep.

"Hello, Mr. Vincent," Kevin said, tugging his red baseball cap off his head, revealing bright red hair underneath. Roger frowned.

"Yes, hello. You must be the Kevin that Eddward has chosen as a partner."

Kevin blushed. "W-Well, when you put it like that…" He coughed into his fist, glancing around the porch awkwardly. "So, um, may I come in?"

Mr. Vincent stood out of the way and before he could bid Kevin leave his shoes at the door, the teenager was already slipping on the guest slippers. Eddward had done a magnificent job in instilling good manners.

"Eddward is in the kitchen with his mother. You may go on through this doorway or sit in the den until they are ready." Kevin did not hesitate to escape to the kitchen, leaving Edd's dad in the dust to frown after him, still not convinced this was the correct person for his son.

"Hey, Edd," Kevin called casually. Eddward was washing a head of lettuce in the sink, pulling leaves apart and rinsing the dirt off them. He turned around and smiled happily.

"Hello, Kevin. It's very nice to see you. Oh! Um, Mother, this is Kevin, Kevin, my mother."

The blonde woman stirring a pot of soup turned around and smiled brightly at Kevin. "Why, hello dear. It's a pleasure to meet you." She held a hand out and Kevin shook it daintily, not wanting to harm such a pretty lady.

"It's nice to meet you too, ma'am."

"Dinner is not quite done yet. The soup still needs to reduce and the bread has not quite risen yet," she said, glancing into the oven where a rustic loaf of bread sat. The room suddenly filled with its wonderful aroma. Kevin quickly wiped the drool off his chin before she could turn around.

Opting to stay in the kitchen so as not to be sentenced to an awkward chat with Eddward's father, Kevin helped set the table and soon the dinner was placed and everyone was sat around it.

"You can have as much as you like, dear," Mrs. Vincent told him as she ladled soup into his bowl. "This is more than enough to feed our family for a few days."

There was no strained conversation, but there was a tense silence broken only by the cutlery and crackling of the bread. Finally, after some time, Mr. Vincent broke the edgy tension.

"As you must know by now, Mr. Barr," he said in his deep voice. "I have no qualms in your relationship with Eddward. If you prove yourself to be an upstanding gentleman, then I wish you well. But should I find you have been, as my wife puts it, 'brutish' then I must find myself terminating it. This dinner is to prove grounds for your actions; whether I can assess from our first formal meeting whether or not you are both polite enough and intelligent enough for my son."

Kevin nodded, carefully swallowing his mouthful of soup. "Sir, I'm not going to say I'm perfect, but I try because honestly, your son is. Next to me, he's like this shining star that will always glow in the sky. He's super smart – even more so than I could ever hope to be – and he's real nice and never likes to fight.

"I can't say I won't mess up, because I've messed up a lot in the past, but if I ever intentionally hurt Edd, you have my permission to immediately take your own action."

Eddward smiled shyly at Kevin. His mother also smiled and she waited for her husband to say something.

"Well, then I think you may continue to 'see' Eddward for as long as you like. But, should the relationship take a turn for the worst or end in an upsetting manner, I can personally guarantee you will not be a very happy young man."


	57. Whole

This was it. They were doing it. It was really happening.

Eddward caught Kevin's gaze as they waited in the little white room. Glossy gossip rags sat stacked on small side tables next to the many chairs.

"This is it," Kevin said with excitement in his voice. His eyes were glossy with unshed tears. He was smiling wide and was giddy for the lady to get back soon.

"This is it," Edd repeated, wiping his eyes with a handkerchief. "We're finally going to meet them."

Kevin wrapped an arm around Eddward. They shared a loving, knowing gaze until the nurse came back, leading two toddlers behind her.

"And here are your new daddies," she said sweetly, crouching down to the two children. They held each other's hands and hid behind her legs. They'd met the two men before, but they were terribly shy children.

"Hello, guys," Kevin said, crouching down next to the nurse. "You remember me and Edd, right? We're here to take you home with us so we can be a family."

Edd crouched down as well. "It's very nice to see you again, little ones." Eddward smiled softly at the twins.

The two children eventually came out and held onto the men. Kevin picked them both up, one sitting in each arm and they were finally allowed to leave as a family. The twins were strapped into car seats and Edd sat in the back seat with them.

That night, after having a dinner of the twin's favourite things that they helped make, the new family piled into bed and fell asleep in each other's arm.


	58. Till Death Do They Part

Roger Vincent didn't ever think when his son was growing up that he would someday be married and have a family of his own. He'd been too worried over Eddward's academic future to ever think he would someday see the same boy who loved to study bugs and follow his mother around like a duck standing at an altar, exchanging vows with the love of his life.

Roger Vincent definitely had never thought he would someday see his little Eddward standing at the altar in a tuxedo opposite another suit. Fathers just always assumed their sons would meet a lovely girl and have children, not meet a nice young man and have a pseudo-wedding because the men upstairs just didn't agree.

Margie, his wife, sat next to Roger, wiping tears into a handkerchief as she smiled and hiccupped softly. He wrapped an arm around her, supporting her on their son's big day.

Roger had walked Eddward down the aisle, arm in arm, both smiling and looking dashing. They met Kevin at the end of the procession, Roger handing his son off to the other man who would soon vow to take care of his son till death does he part.

Eddward and Kevin exchanged rings and they kissed; their family and friends applauding the union, smug in the satisfaction that the two great guys were finally united as one.

The reception was held at the Vincent home. The two newly-weds hadn't wanted anything fancy, neither were frivolous and just wanted a simple get together of family and close friends to help celebrate.

In the spacious kitchen, Kevin and Eddward cut the cake and the red-head smeared frosting over Edd's face, earning a laugh that Roger remembered hearing throughout the years as his son grew up.

Gifts were opened and thanks were passed around. Pictures were taken and memories were made.

That night, after everyone had left, including the grooms to their new home, Roger lay in bed with his wife. She still held her handkerchief, smiling like a fool. Then, in their bedroom, long after sunset, Roger let himself frown and the tears he'd been holding in were let go.

Margie kissed his cheeks and told him she understood. Their little baby was grown now and off to start his own family. They weren't needed to support him anymore. They'd done their job to raise him into a respectable, independent, well-to-do man.

"I know he is not leaving us," Roger told his wife, his throat still tight. "But I will miss him. I'm going to miss my little son. It was like just yesterday I was bouncing him on my knee."

"And couldn't see over the countertop," Margie spoke up, giggling and hiccupping with her husband.

"Our son is grown now, though. But he will always be our little boy."


	59. Birthdays

Eddward would be turning twenty-two soon and Kevin was scurrying around, trying to set up the perfect birthday for him. He'd already enlisted the help of Edd's own mother and Nazz to help with picking out events and restaurant options. They'd learned not to try and coax Kevin to cook something himself since Eddward turned twenty. That day had ended in disaster, with the kitchen ceilings needing a fresh coat of paint and three of their pots and pans needing replacing. Neither really ever looked at chicken the same way anymore after that.

So, Eddward liked science-y stuff, books, bugs, cleanliness… What else? He liked jackets and knit hats and it was almost winter…

But the present couldn't be something practical. It had to be romantic or sweet, something Edd would think of as special; it had to be something Kevin would find and instantly think of Eddward.

As he and the two women brainstormed in the kitchen of his and Edd's apartment, the dork himself was at school, finishing up the last final exam before Christmas break would begin. He was due home in half an hour so that gave them plenty of time to work.

That is, until the front door suddenly decided to spit Edd out and all three of them shot their heads up, surprised and frantic.

"Edd!" Kevin shouted in surprise. "You aren't supposed to be home so soon! What time is it?" He moved to meet Edd before he could fully enter the tiny kitchen, giving his friend and mother-in-law time to hide their progress.

"It's Friday, Kevin," Eddward said with a giggle. "I always get off early on Fridays. You should know that." He looked over Kevin's shoulder and waved. "Hello, Nazz; hello, Mother. It's a nice surprise to see you here. Could I get either of you a drink?"

"Oh, no, dear," his mother answered. "Kevin's already tended to us. We were just leaving, though, isn't that right, Nazz honey?" The two blonde women stood up, discreetly hiding their papers in their purses as they made to leave. Margie kissed her son and Nazz waved goodbye.

"You know," Edd said once the door had shut. "You don't have to go through so much trouble for my birthday. Just a quiet dinner is enough. I don't need anything special."

Kevin rolled his eyes; nothing could get past Edd. "Well, you deserve something special and nice. I want to give you something."

"Then how about we meet in the middle? You can take me to dinner and then we can come back home and celebrate more intimately." Edd's voice was low and seemed to purr in Kevin's ear. He shuddered and quivered, but nodded heavily.

"A-Alright."

Edd giggled and gave his boyfriend a peck on the cheek before tugging at Kevin's lapels to pull him further into their apartment.


	60. Zombies

Halloween was upon them and Kevin and Edd found themselves traversing the sidewalks teeming with both sugar-high children and their overly tired parents who hoped they would just crash so they could go home sooner.

Little princesses and ninjas bumped into them and casually dressed parents half-apologized. Kevin tugged Edd along, trying to ignore the stares that the smaller children gave them. He just wanted to get to where they were going.

The Barnes and Nobles store came up fast. It's large, curbside location seemed to scream, "We have books! Come read them! But we also have games and comics too! Don't walk past with your head turned away!"

"This party better have food," he whispered into Edd's ear. The dork shuddered, but nodded.

"I'm sure the hosts have an array of finger foods, Kevin. Although, I would seriously advise you to avoid them. As rude as it may seem, I'm afraid I don't trust the handling and preparation precautions they might not have used."

"Fine, fine. I'll just starve until we leave."

Eddward squeaked. "No, no! We could stop some place if you're hungry! It would be nothing!"

"No. I want to go to as little places in this get up," Kevin growled. Edd squeaked again. The red-head tugged Edd closer, wrapping his arm around his shoulders. "But we're going to have a good time right, babe? And then, I guess if you're hungry too, we can go out."

Eddward held onto the hand over his right shoulder. "That would be lovely, though, I don't think many restaurants would allow us in due to our current dress."

"But it's Halloween, babe! If they turn out a couple of zombies, it'd be like, racism or something."

Eddward laughed. "Well, we must attend the part first, then we can make a choice in eating out or not."

"Hey, do you think Jess is gonna be there?"

"Jess? Do you mean Jessica? I would assume so. She is an employee, though usually she works different hours than I do. Why?"

"Oh, no reason. I just wanted to see the look on her face when I…"

Edd looked up at Kevin. "When you what?"

"When I do this."

And Kevin leaned down, placing a messy kiss on Edd's lips, nose, cheeks, forehead. The sticky, red dye on his face smeared over Edd's grey-coloured face, making it look as if he'd had his flesh nibbled on.

"Oh dear," he murmured, checking his look in a small compact mirror.

"Relax, babe. You look fine. Sexy, even."

"Well, I guess the dye only helped in my attempts at recreating an undead look." He smiled and placed a similarly red kiss to Kevin's cheek, though this was much less sloppy and sweeter, leaving a perfect cupid's arrow print, though Kevin didn't know that yet.


	61. So Sweet

On his break, after he'd finished his last class of the day and before he had to go to work Kevin decided to go visit his boyfriend at his work for lunch. He stopped off at a local vegan café that Edd liked to visit and ordered the best thing he could find. Then he got a coffee for himself and a smoothie for Edd.

Edd was behind a register when he got to the chain bookstore. He was ringing up a customer and smiling brightly, biding the woman a good day and happy reading. Kevin sidled up after her, placing the brown bag and smoothie cup down on the counter.

"Hey, good lookin'," he said, his voice low and sending vibrations down Edd's everything. "Are you free yet?"

Edd blushed, snatching the bag and cup and hiding them below the counter before his boss could see. "N-Not yet. I still have twenty minutes before my lunch break. Why don't you go do some homework or peruse the comics? There are a few tables upstairs you could spread your books out on." He leaned over the counter, tiptoeing, and placed a peck on Kevin's cheek. "I'll see you when I'm off."

Kevin huffed. Of course he would be early. He took the peck and grumbled and pouted the whole way up the escalator and past the religion books to the group of tables being used by a sparse few people.

The red-head had typed out a good two paragraphs by the time Edd joined him at the table he sat at. The bag and cup were in his hand and Kevin was pleased to note the smoothie was already half gone.

"We can sit outside while I eat. Did you get yourself anything? I can get you a muffing from the coffee shop if you want." Edd worried over Kevin as he gathered up his books and laptop.

"Nah, I'm not hungry. But, I thought you might like the pastry. It's from that vegan place."

Edd smiled and pecked Kevin again. "It was very thoughtful of you. The pomegranate smoothie was lovely too. You're very sweet."

"Yeah well…" Kevin wrapped an arm around Edd as they made their way outside. Mesh tables were positioned along the side of the building, umbrellas ready in case of rain or unbearable heat.

Eddward opened the bag for the first time and found a piece of cake, its frosting slightly melted. The dork smiled and ate the cake happily. "Thank you very much, Kevin. I didn't know you remembered I liked soy." He took another bite and Kevin had to turn away as he spotted a bit of almond frosting on Edd's nose. God, that dork would be the death of him.

"Although this does not constitute for a missed lunch, I do appreciate the thought," Edd said after he finished the cake. "Maybe when you get off we could go to dinner? If you're not too tired? If you are I could make something. Just tell me what you want."

"We could go to that noodle shop down the road from the garage. They have vegetarian stuff so…" He shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever, it doesn't matter. Unless you want to cook."

"If you're not tired then we can go out. Asian food sounds very appetizing right now." Edd wiped his hands one last time and then gave Kevin one last kiss before they parted ways.


	62. Paging Nurse Edd

Now, Kevin was by no means one to like cross-dressing very much. Guys dressed in drag just didn't do it for him. He wanted a guy and a guy in guy clothes. But Edd. God damn. Edd in anything looked good. Edd in nothing looked good! Great, even!

Right now, Kevin was sitting back against the couch, legs spread slightly, accommodating the strain around his crotch. His arms were spread on the back of the sofa and he groaned as he tried his best not to touch himself. That was Edd's job.

In the next room, hiding in the bathroom, Edd was worrying over his appearance in the mirror. As much as he loved Kevin, he didn't think he could face him in such an outfit. But Kevin had done so many things for Edd. He could do one simple act in return. It would just be them two anyways. No-one else would see.

Eddward took a deep breath and quietly opened the door, timidly stepping out into the living room where Kevin was groaning and twisting his hips against the strain of his denim jeans. He blushed heavily. It's not like he hadn't seen what laid beneath Kevin's clothes, but the thought that he was able to cause such a reaction in someone just by existing was as embarrassing as much as it was flattering.

He cleared his throat, tugging at the hem of the outfit, trying to pull it down to no avail.

Kevin looked up, opening his eyes. They were hazy and lusty and made Edd even more self-conscious as he tried to pull the clothes down.

"Hey babe," Kevin said in a deep voice. "You look sexy as all hell." Edd blushed even more and he feared he would get dizzy and faint, destroying the night before it even began.

"Are you gonna come over here or do I have to come get you?" The red-head said, tilting his head back with an air of superiority.

Edd knocked his knees and scurried over to Kevin who pulled him down onto his lap, moaning softly at the weight against himself. Already, without doing anything, Kevin was breathing more heavily than normal and sensitive to touches.

The short dress, a cliché costume of a 'sexy nurse', was ridden up after Kevin had grabbed around his waist. The lacy panties and stocking hooks, both black materials, were contrasted sharply against the innocent flesh of Edd's upper thighs. The dork fidgeted, not meaning to cause the groans that escaped Kevin.

"Gods, you're such a tease."

"S-Sorry."

"It's sexy, don't apologize. Though," Kevin panted, "you could give me a little something for that little twisting of yours."

"A-Alright."

Oh Lord, Edd was not one to role play. Then again, Kevin wasn't either. It was both their first time with this and Edd was completely out of his element. If he got too uncomfortable, he knew Kevin would let him stop and change, but asking that was just as embarrassing as doing it!

"Are you gonna give me a physical, nurse?"

Eddward squeaked. "Y-Yes, let me just…" He fumbled with the buttons on Kevin's shirt, doing the things he'd rehearsed in his head over and over again the night before while Kevin had slept. "Prepare you."

"What are you gonna do?" Kevin had his head leant back on the back of the couch as Edd was straddled on his, messing with his buttons.

"U-Um, I-I'm going to… A-Assess the damage."

"Did I do something bad?"

Y-Yes."

"Am I a bad boy?"

Edd's blush was now past his ears and down his neck, covering his chest. "Y-Yes. You are a bad boy."

Kevin sat up, holding Edd close against his bare chest. He purred into the dork's ear, "Sexy Edd." He felt the boy shudder and twitch on top of him and he moaned once more. The only thing that held Kevin back was the timidity that Edd was exerting.

He purred into the ravenette's ear again, "If you don't want to do this, you don't have to, Edd."

Eddward shuddered once more and sighed heavily. "T-Thank you, Kevin. I-I'm sorry, but I just can't do this. It's too embarrassing. I'm sorry." Edd slid off Kevin's lap, sitting next to him on the couch, still tugging at the hem of the dress.


	63. Homecoming

Eddward did his morning chores: cleaning and sanitizing the bathroom after his morning shower; make the bed, just the right side; fold the laundry from the night before; make breakfast, wash the dishes; sweep and vacuum.

When the chores were done, Edd left for work, locking the empty house up, no different from when he was a child and his parents were forever at work.

At work, Edd shelved books, rang up customers, smiled happily and bid everyone a good day. At lunch break he at alone; his customary vegan noodle soup and fruit smoothie. Back to work, Edd was smiling again, offering help to locate books and suggesting good reads.

At shift's end, Edd sat with his laptop in the connected coffee shop, logging in to online college, taking the few classes he could afford to keep his mind sharp and not idle. The discussion forms he was assigned were a nice get-away for just a few moments, reading the other student's opinions and feelings.

At six, Edd was finished with school for the day and he would return home, just as quiet and empty as when he'd locked up that morning. The kitchen was temporarily filled with the noise of chopping or sizzling as he made himself dinner, the not-so companionable voices of various news anchors.

When dinner was eaten and cleaned up and the news was over, Edd slipped upstairs, taking his evening shower, cleaned the bathroom when he was done, and went to sleep on the right side of the bed, curled up and alone.

Day in and day out, Eddward smiled at the people he encountered, beaming and keeping upbeat with the happy customers and coworkers. He smiled his gap-toothed smile and waved and shook hands and even laughed when the occasion called for it.

But at home, when he ate at the large table, only one place set, the evening news giving him terrible conversation, he let his smile slip down into a frown, feeling that awful cold feeling creep into his chest. When he was curled in his bed, alone and on the right side, he would cry silently, tugging the blankets tightly around him in a simulation of an embrace.

Then, one day as he ate breakfast in the silent kitchen, a few fried tomatoes and other vegetables, Edd decided he wouldn't pretend any more.

He got to work that day and went on with his usual business. He shelved books, rang up customers, bid the good day and happy reading, but he didn't smile. He didn't laugh or make jokes.

His manager sent him to count inventory behind the scenes, away from the customers. Now that he wasn't happy, smiley, personable Eddward anymore, no one wanted to see him in the front. He spent his shifts counting stock and ordering inventory.

His online classes stayed the same. They never saw him and he didn't have to smile to keep up with them. They didn't even know what he looked like or where he lived. And at home, well, he never smiled at home anyways so that never changed.

The left side of the bed, the lazy chair in the den, the other side of the table, Edd stopped looking at them, acknowledging them. He set the picture frames around his home face down, not wanting to look at the cause of the depression. He couldn't look at them. At him.

One day, Edd tried to get himself out of the rut. He knew that depression could lead to some unsightly things, weight gain and acne to name the ones Eddward most disliked.

After work, he went to the vegan café he and him used to go to. He hadn't been there in almost a year.

Edd ate soup and drank green juice. He read a fiction book he'd bought before leaving the bookstore and he worked on his school assignments.

The waitress who served him smiled and tried to converse with him, but he could only give her a half-smile and nod to whatever it was she said.

"What happened to him?" She asked, sitting down at the table. She must have been off work because it wasn't allowed for workers to sit with customers. "I haven't seen him in a while. Did you break up?"

Edd stared at her, his book placed in his lap and his soup cold and his drink empty.

"If you don't want to tell me, that's okay," the woman said shyly. "You just looked so down and I thought talking would help."

Eddward stared at her for a few more moments and then nodded. "No, actually… I think talking would be lovely."

The woman smiled. "Great! What's your name, by the way? I'm Kelly." She held her hand out and Eddward shook it.

"I'm Eddward. It's a pleasure to meet you, Kelly."

"So, what happened to him? You used to come here all the time together. Did he leave?"

Eddward shook his head, looking more at the soup than Kelly. "He's in the army."

"Oh. I'm sorry." She put a hand over one of Edd's. "But, he should be coming home soon, no? It's been a while since I've seen him. Deployments shouldn't be that long."

Shrugging, Edd said, "I wouldn't know. He hasn't sent a letter in some time. And I've had no news for even longer."

"Well, he'll be home soon. I can feel it."

"How?"

Kelly shrugged, but smiled nonetheless. "Woman's intuition, I suppose. We can sense these kinds of things."

"Then I suppose I'll have to listen to you. Thank you for speaking with me. I've been in a sort of mild depression lately."

"I know. You looked very sad. But just remember, he should be home soon."

Edd went home that night not smiling, but not frowning either. He made dinner as always and watched the evening news. After showering and cleaning the bathroom, he made his way to bed and before he climbed in, he walked around and lay on the right side.

Eddward began returning to the little vegan café and chatted with Kelly when she had time during her shifts. He still had not one single word from Kevin, but he was feeling a bit better now that someone was talking with him.

Then, one rainy day as he trudged home after being knocked into a puddle by a man in a suit, blathering away on a cell phone, as he contemplated what to make for dinner, Eddward noticed the door wasn't locked.

Immediately suspicious, Eddward slowly opened the door, expecting to see some kind of burglar snooping around in his home. But no one was there. He must have just forgotten to lock the house that morning. He'd done it once before.

Just to be sure, Eddward did a quick inventory of the house. Nothing was misplaced or even touched. He was just being paranoid. But… It still felt as if there was someone besides him there in the house with him.

Eddward glanced into the kitchen and the laundry room. They were both empty. He crept the stairs, checking every door, but they were all closed, except for the bedroom, that is.

With his heart pounding, Eddward tiptoed to the door and inched it open.

A man in uniform was standing in front of the closet, hanging up some clothes. Eddward's breath caught in his throat and he emitted a strangled yelp.

The man in uniform turned around, startled, but then he smiled and waved.

"K-Kevin?"

"Hey, babe," the red-head said casually, as if he'd not just been gone on a year-long deployment. "I wanted to surprise you, but I guess nothing gets past you." He smirked and held his arms open. "Do I get a hug or…?"

Eddward hurried across their bedroom and gave Kevin the largest hug he could muster. With tears in his eyes, he covered the red-head with kisses. He laughed and hiccupped and laughed some more.

"I-I missed you so much," Edd managed to say after he'd calmed down. "I was so worried after the letters stopped coming. And then my letters kept returning with no response. It was terrible! I thought something had happened!"

"We weren't allowed mail for a long time, babe," Kevin said as they lay in bed. "We were in a pretty dangerous area and they couldn't afford to send us letters back and forth. I'll read your letters later." He kissed Edd on the lips, crushing him in a hug long overdue.

"Let's go out," he said after he pulled away. "We can go anywhere you like and tell me everything you did when I was gone. All about the affairs and puppies you bought."

Eddward chuckled at Kevin's jests. "Would you not rather stay home tonight? We haven't been together in nearly a year. Wouldn't you rather…"

Kevin smirked at Edd's hinting. The dork never was one to be forthwith about such things.

"Yeah, but I could go for some real American food right now. After a while those MREs just don't cut it."

"It's terrible they make you eat those. Our soldiers should be getting more than a dehydrated meal. It's the least we can do," Edd said with a frown. "We can go to a steakhouse," he offered. "I don't think plant food would be very appetizing to you right now."

Kevin chuckled this time. "A nice, rare steak sounds fucking awesome. Let's go."

The two left the house, Edd still in his work clothes and Kevin in his uniform. When they entered the restaurant, they were stopped by many people so they could thank Kevin for his service. Edd smiled proudly when they did.

The two sat side-by-side in the back in a booth with high backs so they were more or less secluded from the rest of the people. Kevin ordered the biggest, rarest steak they offered and Eddward nibbled on a salad. They two talked about Edd's job and his school and Eddward skittered around questions about Kevin's deployment.

"It was hot, that I can tell ya," Kevin said as he chugged down some water. "Too damn hot. And there were these scorpions that liked to crawl in your boots. Terry got bit more times than you could count. You'd think he'd learn his lesson after at least the first three times he got stung." Kevin chuckled at the memory and Eddward giggled out of politeness.

"So," Kevin said, leading most of the conversation just like always. Some things never changed and he was glad for it. "How many guys did you have to use so you wouldn't go crazy without me?" he asked with a smirk and a twinkle in his eye.

Eddward blushed and avoided looking at Kevin. "T-That's very inappropriate, Kevin," he chastised. "One shouldn't jest about infidelity. But for your information, zero."

"And we don't have any surprise puppies or cats?" Eddward shook his head.

"Why on earth would I let an animal in the house?" Kevin chuckled again.

"What did you do while I was gone? You couldn't have just sat around and do nothing the whole time… Right?" He looked worriedly at Edd who didn't answer right away.

"I-I was very depressed," Edd admitted. "A while after I stopped getting any information, I became very down and ended up in a rut as you would call it. But then I met a lovely young woman and she talked to me about you and told me not to worry, that you would be home soon." Edd smiled tightly, not wanting to cry in public. "I wouldn't even look at the pictures with you in them," he said. "It hurt to."

The couple finished their dinner in companionable silence, Edd leaning against Kevin's shoulder. Their waitress said the meal would be on the house and thanked Kevin for his service, just as nearly everyone they passed on the way out.

At home, Eddward tugged Kevin up the stairs, glancing back every other step with a shy smile on his face, but fervor in his eyes. Their love that night was fast and slow and short and long and just perfect. It was what finally made both of them realize that they were home and there would be no more nights curled up alone, cold or lonely, tugging the blankets or clutching a pillow.


	64. No Longer Dancing With Myself

Ellowyn walked to school with her backpack on his shoulders and her light blue sundress swaying around her knees. Her mother had put her hair in twin braids and her knit hat was placed over them because the snow had not completely melted and she didn't want to get sick.

Over the weekend, Keagan had come to play with her. She'd worried the day before, whether or not Keagan would make fun of her for not owning a television or having books in her room in lieu of dolls and toys.

But when the fiery red-head bounded up to her room after being dropped off by her mother, she'd gone about Ellowyn's room, ooh-ing and aww-ing.

"We can play pretend," Keagan decided for them. "Have you ever played?" Ellowyn shook her head. She'd never had anyone to play pretend with so she'd never done it before.

"Well, all you gotta do is pretend to be someone else. Like, I'll be the daddy, 'cause my daddy says I'm tough like a boy. And you can be the mommy, 'cause your nice and quiet."

Ellowyn, without much more instruction, tried to pretend to be a mother while Keagan acted out coming home from a long day of work, sitting on Ellowyn's bed and pretending to read one of her books.

"When's dinner, dear?" Keagan asked, not looking away from the book.

Ellowyn looked at Keagan, confused. "U-Um… not long?" Keagan looked up and smiled.

"Okay. Well, then do you wanna play something else while it cooks?" She hopped of the bed, leaving the book on the covers. Ellowyn thought she did very well not to go over and put the book back directly afterwards.

The black-haired girl followed the red-head throughout the day, agreeing to any game the loud girl could think of. At lunch time, the two sat at the table with Ellowyn's parents. They had soup with crackers, not something Ellowyn thought her mother should have given Keagan as by the time everyone was done, there was a large red stain on Keagan's dress.

The two girls went back to playing after pushing in their chairs and this time Keagan asked Ellowyn what she wanted to play.

"I-I don't know," she said shyly. "I-I don't know many games."

"Well, what do you like to do? We can read. Is that what you do? You have ta choose somethin' we do. It won't be fair unless ya do."

"I-I do read when I come home," Ellowyn admitted. "B-But I also like to dance."

"I love to dance!" Keagan exclaimed loudly. "Why didn't ya tell me sooner?! Do you have any music? Let's go dance!" She once more dragged the quieter girl behind her, off to Ellowyn's bedroom in search of a radio.

The CDs in Ellowyn's room were a lot different than the ones Keagan owned. She'd never heard of Back or Beethoven and she did know what a Carmen was.

"Do you have any Britney Spears songs?" Ellowyn shook her head. She'd never heard of her. "What about NSYNC? Or the Backstreet Boys?" Keagan asked. Ellowyn shook her head again.

"I-I just have classical music. I apologize." Ellowyn tugged at the knit hat on her head nervously.

"That's fine. I don't think I've ever listen to Back."

Ellowyn let a giggle slip out. She put her hand over her mouth and giggled some more. "I-It's Bach, not Back."

"Oh. Well, put it in and show me how you dance. I'll try and learn."

With much self-consciousness, Ellowyn popped a CD in and let the classic arias begin to fill her room and part of the house. Carefully, hoping not to trip like she sometimes did, she stood on her tip toes and began to sway her arms in a swan-like motion.

Keagan watched with rapt attention, something Ellowyn didn't know the girl could do.

The ravenette did a small leap as the music came to a crescendo and wobbled a bit on her landing. Keagan clapped. She blushed and smiled a tiny smile.

"Okay, let me try. Like this?" Keagan tried to get on her toes, but couldn't stop wobbling and falling over.

"I-It takes a long time to be able to stand like that without ballet shoes. Your toes weren't meant to support our weight like that," she explained.

"You take ballet?"

Ellowyn shook her head. "No, but I've watched real ballet performers and my mother taught me how to do the proper poses. I made up the rest."

Keagan smiled largely. "That's great! You're so smart, Elly!"

"O-Oh no… No-Not really."

"You should teach me how to pose like a ballerina and show me how to stand on my toes. I'll practice at home and you can help me sometimes."

Ellowyn wasn't given much time to think about the offer because her mother announced Keagan's mother to be waiting in the living room just then. Keagan smiled and raced down the stairs and Ellowyn came down them more carefully.

"I had a great time, Mrs. Vincent," Keagan said as she took her mother's hand. "Elly is super smart and she said she'd teach me ballet! Bye!"

Once the two Barr ladies were gone, Mrs. Vincent looked at her daughter curiously. "What did Keagan mean?"

"O-Oh, she asked if I could teach her ballet poses and I-I guess I'm going to." Ellowyn smiled brightly at her mother. "Keagan's very nice. I like her a lot."

"I'm glad you do, honey," Mrs. Vincent said as she placed a hand on Ellowyn's back to guide her to the kitchen. "I'm glad you're finally making friends, too."

"I'm glad too."


	65. Dear Family

Eddward's cousin, Marion was coming to visit the cul-de-sac, Kevin thought with contempt as he washed his hair in the shower. That guy, even if he was related to Double Dork, was a grade A douche. He was a bully and a punk and Kevin couldn't stand him.

When the fluid, black car pulled into the light blue house at the very front of the cul-de-sac, Kevin watched from the window in his bedroom with the curtains shut tight except for the edge of the bottom that he was peeking through. He watched as a tall, slender teenager stepped out of the front passenger, a man in a suit and hat getting out of the driver's side.

Edd's father must have drove him. Hmm…

Marion really did look sort of like Edd. They both had black hair, just like most of their family, and they both wore the same black beanie hat that had two white stripes down the side. Edd looked far better in it though, Kevin had to admit. The hat just made Marion look more like a douche.

He didn't see much more of the two or the rest of the Vincent clan for a long time after that. No-one ventured outside so they must have been inside, probably in the kitchen or living room, catching up the family.

Kevin harrumphed and flung himself on his bed, sending magazines and a wrench flopping to the floor. God he hated Marion. Just the very thought of him made him so… So… Argh!

The red-head was called down for dinner a while later. He was still fuming about Marion coming to ruin everything, but he smiled for his mother who was very pleased with the meal she had made. She chatted up her son, asking him about his day and what the sports teams were doing.

"I heard the Vincent's are having a guest. Maybe you could introduce yourself? He should be around your age. And you already hang out with Eddward. I'm sure you three would have a nice time."

Oh boy, was his mother ever wrong? "I think I'll pass, mom," he said as he shoveled the last of his food. "I think I'll let them catch up for a while. I'm gonna go hang with Nazz, okay?"

"Just be home before dark, dear."

So Kevin trekked across the cul-de-sac, running behind cars and trees, hoping not to be left open to the Vincent house. The last thing he wanted was for Marion to spy him out in the open, defenseless.

He and Nazz lay in her backyard on a couple of lawn chairs. They sipped lemonade and just all together relaxed like the couple of lazy teenagers they were. Then Kevin started up his rant on Marion.

"He's so… Urgh! I don't know how Double D puts up with him!"

"Well, they're family, dude. They probably grew up together." Nazz rubbed some more sun tan lotion on as Kevin vented. This wasn't the first time she'd had to sit through a rendition of whichever person it was that was causing Kevin to have his panties in a bunch.

"But he's so rude! And a dickhead!"

"Well, you're rude and can be a dickhead."

"That's different though. I don't do it on purpose. He does."

"Well, just ignore him then. I do and look at me." She flaunted her figure. "I'm as beautiful as a butterfly with no worries in the world!" The two laughed.

"Fine," Kevin relented. "But if I see that bastard anywhere near me, then I can't be held responsible."

The next day Eddward was knocking on his front door early in the morning. That was an odd thing for the dork what with his personal agenda for respectful hours and manners and such.

Kevin let him in and they ventured into his room, closing the door and shutting the blinds. Only then did Eddward heave a large sigh and pull his legs up to his chest as he sat on Kevin's bed.

"I truly hope that my cousin leaves soon," he admitted quietly, as if fearing some undesirable to be listening in. "He's so terribly rude and unconscientious and…" he sighed audibly.

"What happened?"

"Everything happened, Kevin!" Eddward said, looking up frantically. "He arrived, first of all! I feel dreadful for complaining, but Marion is not a very polite person. He is rude in a sneaky way that gets past Mother and Father and I do believe he is some sort of delinquent."

"No shit he's a delinquent," Kevin commented. "The dudes bad."

"Oh, and that's not the worst of it! During dinner, Marion felt it a very good idea to announce my, ehm, preferences as if Mother and Father had already known! I just know he did it on purpose!" Eddward pulled his hat over his eyes, his cheeks flushed with fury. "I've never been so embarrassed in front of Mother and Father!"

Kevin felt his own rage bubbling up. "He just outed you, like that, to your folks?!" Kevin felt his hands form balls and he clenched tightly. "That's fucking messed up. But," he said softly, "they weren't angry or anything? Nothing bad happened, right?"

Eddward peaked out from his hat and shook his head. "N-No, they were quite the opposite, actually. But the principle still stands that it was my personal information to choose to decide whether or not to disclose to my parents.

"Marion has only been here for one evening and already I cannot stand him! He is worse than Eddy's brother, I tell you!"

Kevin patted Eddward's shoulder and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "I know, dude. The guy gets under my skin too and I haven't even been in three feet of the guy yet."

"Oh, I wish I could only hide somewhere until he leaves, but Mother and Father would notice my absence and give me a stern talking to."

"Just try to ignore him the best you can, Edd," Kevin tried. "Like what happened with that one guy at school? If you ignore him, he'll leave you alone."

"But I've tried that very tactic many a time since we were children!" Edd exclaimed. "Marion is just too… Cunning! And a bully. Oh, he's such a bully!"


	66. How much is that Kitty in the Window?

Eddward watched as the humans milled back and forth past the glass window he called his home. He stared out at the bipedal creatures in a hurry, trying not to be late for work or a date, tugging children along to school, or coming from school themselves. He sighed heavily.

Sometimes, a little girl would press her face against the glass and stare back at him with a giant smile. She would call for mommy or daddy to come see the pet! And they would watch him for a minute or two before the adult dragged the little girl off.

When it was sunny, Eddward curled up and slept with his tail tucked over his eyes to block the sun out. He would bathe and drink some water and if the shop keeper hadn't been so scatter-brained that day, he would eat some food left in a bowl.

The other tenants were noisy and rowdy; that's why Edd had a cage to himself. He'd been there the longest because as much as people liked to look they didn't want to touch. If they brought him home, they would be responsible for feeding him and washing him and remembering to love him. No-one wanted that kind of responsibility.

Day after day, Eddward watched the outside world pass by his window cage, the little girls stopping by every now and again. Sometimes, if he was feeling less depressed, he would flick his tail at them or nudge the glass to make them squeal. They always were happy after he did that.

At least one of them was.

One day, after Eddward had taken his nap and was giving himself his daily bath, he saw a man walk up to his window cage from inside the store. He looked at Eddward curiously and smiled softly.

"Hey there, little guy, I'm Kevin," he said and reached out to pet Eddward.

Eddward stood up and let the human pet him. It felt good. No-one had pet him in a very long time. He started purring and nudged the man's hand so he would scratch under his chin.

The man laughed. "You're a loveable guy aren't ya?" He glanced down to read the plaque declaring all of Edd's information. "Eddward… Not the name I would have picked, but I think it fits. Do you wanna go home with me?"

Eddward stared at the man. Did he mean to take him from this place? He would never have to look out another window ever again?! Eddward meow-ed loudly, purring more and nudging the edge of his cage so Kevin would pet him again.

"I'll take that as a yes." He picked Eddward up and the cat purred contently as he lay on his back in the human's crooked arm like a baby. His belly was rubbed and there was nothing better that Eddward could think of.

That night, Eddward was curled up in a warm, fluffy bed next to the human. He had no other pets which Edd didn't mind. He liked the peace and quiet and the warm bed and the good food that didn't taste anything like what the shop keeper had given him since he was a kitten.

Eddward purred as he curled up on the pillow next to his new human that slept deeply. He was very content already with his new life.


	67. Girls will be Girls

"So, thing is, I like you. Like, like-like you. As in, I wanna go out on a date with you and maybe one day say I love you like my mom loves my dad. Gah! No! That's so stupid!"

Keagan stomped her foot and glared at her reflection in her mirror. A tiny picture of her love interest was pasted to the side along with a multitude of other photos of friends and family. But the one of the raven-haired, ankle-length skirt-wearing girl was just a little bit more special.

"Okay, Keag, let's get this right this time." Keagan took a deep breath to clear her head and looked into her eyes, pretending it was Ellowyn she was looking at. "Hey, Ell," she started, smiling like an idiot in the seclusion of her bathroom. "Hey, I just wanted to… Ya know, ask ya somethin'." She thought a moment on what she would say next. It had to be perfect!

"Okay, I've been doing some real thinking lately – yeah, I know, me thinking, huh? – but it's not just been lately, it's been for a while. Since, like Freshman year. I might – No, I do know that I like girls. Like, like I like them like other girls like guys." Keagan sighed and pulled at her hair. Everything just sounded so stupid! Gah!

Maybe if she had a good night's sleep, she would be able to come up with something? She decided to try that and see what she could come up with in the morning.

But she'd woken up late and had to rush to school the next day. She cursed herself as she skated down the sidewalk toward school, her backpack on her shoulders and a piece of toast and bacon stuffed in her mouth.

She nearly ran over Ellowyn, the girl who would get out of Keagan's head. She toppled over herself, luck to be wearing kneepads and a helmet for the first time in a while so she was able to escape any harm. Ellowyn, though, was flat on her back, her skirt riding up her legs, though not very far, Keagan noted. The two girls groaned after the tumble.

"Oh! I-I'm so sorry, Keagan!" Ellowyn exclaimed after her head stopped spinning. "I wasn't watching where I was going!" The raven-haired girl helped Keagan up, dusting her off and making sure the other girl's skates had not been dented.

"No, no, it was my fault. Sorry." Keagan wobbled for a second but then righted and smiled brightly. "Hey!"

Ellowyn looked up from dusting her own self off. "Yes?"

"Um… Yeah. Elly? I've gotta tell you somethin' and it's been driving me crazy for a while now."

"Are you alright? What is it?"

"I kinda… sorta… Really like someone. And, I don't know how to tell them without freaking them out and… Yeah."

"Well, if you mean well, I'm sure they will understand. I hope you are able to tell them with confidence." Ellowyn smiled sweetly and started on her way to school again, looking back for Keagan to follow her.

"Yeah, but—! I-It's you, Ell! I've really liked you for a long time now, more than just friends. Like, I want to hold you kind of like." Keagan blushed furiously and looked away. "You can leave now, if you don't feel comfortable," she said quietly.

Ellowyn giggled lightly. "Oh, I couldn't ever feel uncomfortable around you, Keagan," she said politely. "You've been my friend for a very long time. And," she ducked her head embarrassingly. "I might have harbored a little crush on you as well."

"R-Really?"

"Yes, really. For quite some time now, in fact."

Oh wow, Keagan thought. Today must have been her lucky day!


	68. Oh Naive Edd

Eddward thought it was lovely that his father was so supportive of him and his relationship with Kevin. He'd thought that once his father got wind that his respectable, intelligent son was dating the high school quarterback that had a GPA of about 2.3, he would go ballistic! But instead, he'd sat Eddward down and they had a long discussion on what he expected to see: Kevin must be a gentleman; if Eddward wanted to continue his relationship with him, he'd better work to help bring Kevin's grades up; should Kevin ever screw up, it was a sure thing that Eddward's father would eventually hear about it so the red-head had better pay attention to his actions.

Eddward, who never got see his father much when he was younger, was very excited to know that he was going to be dedicated to making sure Kevin stayed the sweet boy he'd fallen for.

Kevin, on the other hand, got to see the side of Mr. Vincent that Eddward didn't.

When they'd met for the first time as father and son's boyfriend, Mr. Vincent gave Kevin the worst stink eye he'd ever seen. The man had scrutinized him and when they'd sat down to tea and water, he'd berated Kevin with a series of questions. What did he expect of Eddward? Was he just stringing his son along? Was he serious about dedicating himself to Eddward?

Kevin played it smooth and tried to convey to the man that Eddward was the best thing to ever happen to his life, but he left later that night thinking he hadn't gotten through.

This continued for a long time.

After the first few months, the scary staring and glaring had died down just a tad bit. Mr. Vincent still shot Kevin nasty looks and warning glances to take care of his son, but Kevin pushed them off. He was doing pretty well keeping Edd happy; at least, he thought so.

When they got married after two years of dating, Kevin thought that this would be the day! This would be the day Mr. Vincent, or Dad, would finally stop mistrusting him and finally see that he was good enough for Eddward.

Boy had he been wrong.

Their first night as a married couple had been great. The two had been gifted with a very expensive hotel reservation from both their parents. With the silver rings on their fingers, Kevin thought the sex tasted just that much sweeter.

They had no home of their own yet, though, so the afterglow ended quickly. They were still young and ignorant (mostly on Kevin's part) of money and so the couple lived at Edd's parent's home.

The day they got back, Mr. Vincent was waiting in his usual chair with the newspaper opened, but not at all wrinkled. Kevin knew he'd been waiting for them. Damnit.

Eddward went to his mother in another room after greeting his father and Kevin was left alone with the devil himself.

"H-Hey, Dad," Kevin said, coughing into his fist when the man gave him a stern look that bit into his very soul.

"I'd prefer if you call me Mr. Vincent, Mr. Barr," he said with a deep, low voice so Eddward and his wife wouldn't hear in just the next room over. Kevin swallowed thickly and nodded timidly.

"I know that now you are legally tied to my son, but that does not mean that I will be any less strict with my promises. I shall still uphold the deal that you hurt Eddward, you will not be very happy in life."

"Y-Yes, sir."

"Good." Mr. Vincent shook out his newspaper and gave Kevin no more attention, acting as if he wasn't even there. Kevin didn't waste time to escape either.

That night, when he and Edd went to bed in Edd's old room full of labeled paraphernalia, wearing bunny slippers due to Edd's paranoid obsessive compulsion, they'd gotten into bed and turned the lights out. Kevin couldn't get Edd to do anything with him, a real bummer, but he understood and wouldn't press the issue. He could wait. He had a lifetime.

The two slept, Kevin with an arm draped over Edd's waist while the little Latino curled into his side, limply grasping his shirt.

Kevin woke to a creaking. He didn't sit up right away, waiting to see if the noise was just the old house or… Kevin flipped the lamp on when he heard two more creaks.

Mr. Vincent was in the doorway, a stern look on his face.

Kevin almost screamed like a little girl. Almost. Which meant he hadn't. Of course not.

Eddward sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes sleepily. "W-What's wrong, hon?" he asked groggily.

"N-Nothing," Kevin said softly as Eddward's father shut the door. "I just thought I heard something. Go back to sleep."

Eddward curled back down and was out in no time. Kevin didn't sleep a wink.

Kevin didn't sleep much that whole first week. Eddward noticed, but couldn't get Kevin to explain so he tried to stay up with him, but was always out like a light by the time nine-thirty rolled around.

At ten on the dot, every night, Mr. Vincent creaked the door open, causing Kevin's heart to pound painfully in his chest. He wanted to call out to his new father-in-law, to ask him why the hell he was creeping on him and his son when they were sleeping, but was a bit frightened at what would happen as soon as the words left his mouth.

Instead, Kevin just left the occurrences well alone and let them play out. Mr. Vincent would get over it soon enough.

Oh boy was Kevin wrong again.

One night, after a romantic dinner out, Kevin and Edd came home to Mr. Vincent sitting on the front porch. In the man's hands was a rolled newspaper. On his face, the same stern face Kevin had been living with for the past few years.

Eddward worried over his father, questioning why he was sitting outside at night without a coat, but the man stopped him, showing him a folded blanket.

"But, Eddward," the man said, before the two could go inside. "I do believe I made it clear to make sure to inform your mother or I if you would be late coming home," the man said with a similarly stern voice. Kevin stared with large eyes at the man. He'd never seen him raise his voice to Edd.

"I-I apologize, Father," Edd said, looking at the deck paneling. "I-It won't happen again."

"Make sure it does not." And with that, he tapped Edd on the head with the paper lightly. Edd scurried inside.

Kevin got smacked with the paper. And it hurt. God damn paper could hurt!

The next time they got home late, Mr. Vincent was sitting on the porch with a rolled newspaper once more. He didn't tap Eddward, but he sent him into the house with just a few stern words and whacked Kevin when the young ravenette had shut the door after him. That was the day Kevin started to hate newspapers and just paper in general.

The ten o'clock check-ups became once-in-a-while check-ups at various times in the night so Kevin never knew when Mr. Vincent would decide to come in the night like some monster under a bed. Edd didn't suspect a thing.

One night, after Eddward finally (finally!) got used to living with his parents with his husband and was finally (oh Dear Lord, finally!) letting Kevin mess with him, just as things were heating up and Kevin was about to lose himself in the utterly great feeling of Eddward, Mr. Vincent knocked on the door, asking for Eddward to come downstairs for a moment, he needed to speak with him.

Eddward practically flew from the bed, leaving Kevin in a very painful situation, fuming because he knew the Mr. Vincent knew what they were doing. It was near ten o'clock! The man should have been asleep! He could have talked to Edd hours ago! Or tomorrow! Or never!

When he got back, Edd apologized, but didn't feel very up to continuing where they'd left off. Kevin went to sleep miffed and Edd thought it was his fault. (That was something Kevin should have righted directly, but hadn't even thought about. It was this situation that was probably the tipping point that he'd been waiting for, Kevin would think later on.)

The next morning, Kevin woke up to Mr. Vincent sipping juice out of a clear glass, a different sort of look on his face that Kevin had never seen before. In his other hand, a baseball bat that Kevin didn't think he'd ever see in the Vincent household was swaying back and forth lazily.

Kevin swallowed thickly as he stared at his father-in-law. "G-Good morning, sir," he tried to say, but it came out garbled and he coughed feebly instead.

"I warned you about treating Eddward with respect," the man said loftily.

"What?"

"Don't kid, Mr. Barr," Mr. Vincent said. "Dear Eddward is in the kitchen with his mother. He is in a state. A terrible state."

"Is he sick? What happened?" Kevin sat up, but Mr. Vincent pointed the bat at his chest, keeping Kevin in the bed.

"You will not be venturing down those steps, nor leaving this room until Eddward is feeling better. Should I find you have left the room until Eddward expressly allows you to, I shall not be hesitant in putting old technique to use."

The man left the room, leaving the door open just a crack. Kevin was utterly confused. And he was confused until Eddward stumbled in nearly half an hour later to dress for the day.

"What's the matter, babe?" Kevin asked Edd.

The genius wandered aimlessly, collecting his clothing and not answering Kevin. He looked at him sadly and Kevin worried something bad had happened.

Before Eddward could leave the room, he stopped him bodily.

"Edd. Babe. Please tell me what's going on."

"N-Nothing, Kevin," Eddward returned.

"Why are you moping? Did something happen?"

"No, no. No need to worry over me, Kevin," he said, aloof.

"Is this about last night? Edd, babe, that wasn't about you. Your dad just… He's been—Your dad's crazy, Edd!"

"My father is not crazy, Kevin," Eddward said with bite. "Now if you'll let me go."

"No, please listen to me," Kevin rushed, stepping in front of the bedroom door. "Your dad's been on my case since we first met! Ever since we started dating, he's been glaring at me and threatening me and just while we've been living together here, he's been coming in the middle of the night and glaring some more at me. H-He hits me with paper, Edd!"

Eddward frowned. "My father doesn't threaten people, Kevin. Threats are lowly and childish. And he has not once hit even a fly."

"He hates me, Edd! Please believe me!" Kevin put his hands on Edd's shoulders, looking at him. "He hates that I dated you and married you and sleep with you. He hates everything about me!"

Eddward puffed his cheeks and rolled his eyes. "Even if that were so, I think I would have noticed such uncharacteristic actions."

"Please believe me, Edd," Kevin said again. He stared intently at Eddward and Eddward stared back at him with a slight frown.

"Fine," the genius relented. "I will observe my father's actions and if I find any evidence portraying him in a different light, then I will believe you, but only if." Then he side-stepped Kevin and went to shower and change.

Kevin trusted Eddward's observational skills. He was an aspiring scientist. He needed that kind of skill, right? Well, he should have known that even the best of observers can be fooled when studying subjective matter.

Kevin knew Mr. Vincent was going out of his way to seem innocent. He just knew it! The late-night visits stopped; he no longer waited on the porch for them; he didn't even carry the newspaper anymore!

Kevin begged Eddward to just be patient. Mr. Vincent would slip up eventually. He couldn't keep up the charade forever! Edd told Kevin he wouldn't do this forever, but he would play along for now.

Kevin needed a plan and he needed one quick.

One day, he came up with a good one. A great one! It was perfect!

Mr. and Mrs. Vincent were sent out to dinner by Kevin and Eddward and would be out for most of the night. Kevin planned on just the opposite.

While the parents were away, Kevin seduced Eddward up the stairs and into their bedroom with promises of recreating their wedding night. Eddward's eyes danced with lust and mischief as Kevin led him down the hall and through the door.

It was a wonderful start of the evening, if Kevin had anything to say about it. Eddward was happy if his pants and moans were anything to be accounted for.

Then everything came to fruition.

Their bedroom door swung open at eleven on the dot, just as Kevin was working on top of Eddward, extracting loud moans from the flustered genius. Eddward didn't notice at first, too lost in the love Kevin was giving him, but when he felt the eyes on him, not belonging to Kevin, he sat up in fright, covering himself with a blanket. "D-Daddy!" He shouted, his cheeks still flushed and still panting to catch his breath.

"I-I—" Mr. Vincent stuttered, fumbling and grasping for words. He shut the door quickly after that and Kevin sat on his haunches on the bed next to Edd.

"I told you he was trying to sabotage us!" he said proudly. Eddward buried his head under a pillow and moaned with embarrassment.

"By the way, babe," Kevin said with a smirk, still smug in finally being proven right. "I didn't know you were a daddy kind of boy."

Eddward moaned again.

Once the two were dressed and not a single sign of their activities remained, thanks much to Eddward's thorough cleaning regimen, Kevin and Edd met Mr. Vincent downstairs in the kitchen. Mrs. Vincent, thankfully, had been absent from the fiasco, having gone straight to bed after she and her husband had gotten home.

Eddward sat opposite of his father and looked at him with a stern frown. Kevin could see much of the older man in his husband. "Daddy," Eddward said finally after the three sat in the kitchen silently for a long few moments.

"I apologize for invading your privacy," Mr. Vincent said professionally. "It was very much uncalled for."

"I would say so," Eddward agreed. "I was very embarrassed."

Kevin smirked at the sight of Eddward taking on a sort of fatherly role to his own father. It was great!

"I would think, after having set the rules of the house," Edd continued, "the man to write the notes would follow them the best of all."

"Eddward," his father said warningly. Eddward shook his head.

"Kevin has warned me that you have been giving him a hard time and I was hesitant to believe him. You've just proved to me that he was right the whole time. Why are you acting so childishly, Father?"

Well, Kevin thought, Daddy didn't last long.

"I am only being the best father I know to be, Eddward," Mr. Vincent explained. "I just don't agree with you that Kevin is the best decision. There are many better suited men for you to choose."

Ohh, thought the red-head, hit the nail on the head.

"He may not fit your mold, Father," Eddward said with a slightly raised voice. "But he is the best decision I, personally, have made. No other person has been as dedicated to me as Kevin has.

"I know you weren't thrilled when you first met him, Father, but I did hope you would grow to love him like I did."

"He's a bad influence, Eddward."

"He's been nothing but positive since I've met him. Many good things have happened that would not have had I not."

"But look at you," Mr. Vincent said with a raised voice, louder than his son. "You're married, barely twenty, and not even in college. Son, you could have gone to school and had a future, but you've tied yourself to this one person. I never wanted to see you stuck in this little town. You were supposed to become a great contribution to science."

"I still can," Eddward said quietly. "Many people take gap years in their education. I'm sure I would have no difficulty in returning when I choose to. Only when I choose to, though.

"And I'm not stuck in Peach Creek, Daddy. Kevin and I are resourceful young men. I'm sure we could come up with funds to travel anywhere we please. Right, Kevin?" The red-head nodded with a soft smile directed at Eddward.

"You don't have to worry so much, Daddy. I can take care of myself now."


	69. Tripping into Things

Kevin hadn't been having a very good day. He'd woken up late and spilled coffee all over his pants once he'd finally gotten to work after wading through a plethora of people and then, when he was eating lunch, a pigeon had came up with the great idea that his very head would be a great place to shit. Then, after washing off in the restroom, Kevin was shouted at by a pretentious old woman who definitely had had work done on a good ninety-nine percent of her face. That shouting had escalated to a match to see who could be loudest and then his boss came in and silently handed him a slip and now here he was, jobless and just having a pretty crumby day all in all.

Suddenly, Kevin tripped and almost slipped on the dirty sidewalk. He growled and shouted at the man he'd bumped into to watch where he was going.

He was returned with a shy giggle.

Having nothing better to vent a bit of stress, Kevin swung around and shouted at the man, "What's so funny?"

Kevin was met with a young man, about his age, give-or-take a few years, with large black sunglasses and a long cane. The man was facing half-towards him.

Shit.

"Uh… S-Sorry," Kevin said awkwardly. "I-I didn't know you uh…" He coughed into his fist. "Yeah."

"It's fine. I shouldn't let my cane out so far. I'm not the only one walking. I apologize." The man stuck his free hand out in Kevin's general direction and the red-head stared at it before hastily grabbing it for a shake.

"I'm Eddward, by the way. Eddward with two Ds. Could I ask who you are?"

"Uh, K-Kevin."

"Well, it was nice to meet you, Kevin," Eddward said brightly. "But, I need to go before I'm late. Goodbye." And with that, the blind man Kevin had tripped over began walking away, tapping his cane in front of him so he himself wouldn't trip.

After meeting Eddward, Kevin didn't really think his day was half as shitty as he'd thought it was just a few minutes before. Being blind must suck pretty hard so he couldn't really find it in him to complain for the rest of the day. Instead, he thought about the next time he would bump into Eddward.


	70. To See You First

Kevin wrapped his hands over Eddward's eyes, smiling stupidly and laughing softly. "Guess who."

Eddward started, but then giggled as well. "Um," he said in false thought. "Could it possibly be Kevin?"

"Correct-o!" Kevin took a seat next to Edd and wrapped his arm around the other's slumped shoulders. "So what're ya doin'?"

"Just waiting for you to start the movie," Edd said. In his lap he had a large bowl of popcorn and the nightstand beside the couch had a large mug of steamy tea. "I thought you could pick tonight."

"Alrighty then," Kevin hopped back up and went to rummage through the shelves. "How about a silent?" he asked with a smirk. Edd gave him a snarky laugh in return. With a laugh, he said, "Alright, how 'bout Iron Man? He's damn sexy."

"I do enjoy a good superhero movie," Eddward commented loosely.

"Junior it is!" Kevin popped the disk into the player and turned the music up a bit more than usual. He sat back down next to Edd and grabbed some popcorn.

As the movie progressed, Kevin explained some scenes as best he could, describing who was doing what so Edd could keep up. In scenes with no dialogue, Kevin made up lines to make the boy laugh and turn red.

When the credits finally began to roll, Kevin couldn't feel his arm as it'd lost circulation and fell asleep just as Edd had, his head leaning against him.

With a small smile, the red-head shook the ravenette's arm and when he didn't stir, he carried him carefully to bed. He knew he'd probably get an earful about dead skin cells and proper nighttime rituals, but he figured he could power through another rant just to see that cute face Edd made when he got overly passionate about something so trivial.

The next morning, Kevin awoke to find Edd missing from their bed. The can sitting against the wall next to the door was still there, so he hadn't gone far. The sweet scent of bacon wafted into his nostril as his brain started whirling after a few stretches.

Edd was standing at the stove, moving carefully and slowly, oven mitts on his hands (just as he always wore while working in the kitchen) and breakfast items organized by size.

"Smells good," Kevin said as he dragged his feet along the floor, knocking once on the doorway as he came in. Eddward turned and smile in Kevin's direction.

"I hope it does," he said. "But I'm afraid we can't dawdle today. Breakfast will need to list up to its name. We have a meeting with the doctor at just after nine o'clock."

"Really? That early?" Kevin sat down at the table after getting plates and cups out, placing them next to Edd. "I thought the appointment was at night."

"Why would I go to the eye doctors at night, Kevin? It's much more practical to go to appointments during the day." Edd slid the bacon onto the two plates and cracked and egg into the sizzling pan. "Do you want scrambled?"

"Yeah, thanks. I dunno, it's not like it makes a difference. But, I guess it's best to get that stuff out of the way so, whatever." He tipped his chair back, waiting for the man to finish cooking.

"I'm so very excited though," Eddward gushed as he spun the wooden spoon around the pan. "We'll be setting a date for my surgery!"

Kevin's chair fell back in place, startling Edd. "Yeah," Kevin said, though not near as enthusiastically as Eddward.

"What's wrong? How can't you be excited? Don't you want for me to be able to finally see you?" Eddward dumped the egg onto one of the plates and then cracked another egg for himself. "Aren't you finding it tiresome that I've no idea what you look like? It would be like meeting for the first time all over again!" Eddward sighed happily.

"It's not that it's just… I dunno. It's stupid, but… What if you don't like what you see?"

Eddward chuckled lightly. "Oh, Kevin, I could never be displeased with how you look. In fact…" Edd finally sat down, placing a plate on either side of the table. Kevin switched them around quickly so he had the more over-cooked eggs and slightly burnt bacon.

"In fact what?" he asked around a mouthful of powdery egg. He chugged down a large gulp of milk after that.

"In fact…" Edd twirled his fork in his fingers, staring down at his plate. "In fact, I was wondering if you could be the first thing I see. I think that would make me very happy."

"Edd," Kevin said, mouth dry and heart racing. "But, wouldn't you want to look at yourself or your mom or anyone? Why me?"

"Why not you?"

"Well, because… I don't know. Because I would want to see my mother's face if I was in your place, I guess. That or finally see what I look like myself."

"But I think I want to see you first," Edd said softly. He took a small bite of egg and the conversation was ended.

The doctors went over procedure, explaining what would happen on surgery day and the preparation needed leading up to it and the care following. Kevin took notes, by Edd's orders, and the two left feeling both excited and a bit weary. Any surgery had its risks and optical surgery could go so many different ways.

Leading up to the surgery, Edd felt light, as if he was made of air. He floated around like a feather, not knocking into anything and becoming a bit anxious for the results of his surgery to be fruitful.

"Would you be offended to look into someone else's eyes?" Edd asked Kevin one night as they lay in bed.

Kevin, caught off guard by the sudden question, didn't reply right away. He thought about it. He'd first met Edd, the sweet blind little boy, when they had been neighbors. He's seen the little hat-clad, cane-using boy stumble around his yard and initially went to make fun of him, to call him stupid and other nasty five year-old names. But, when he'd finally got up to him and seen the green, milky, glazed eyes searching for where exactly he stood he realized he could never make fun of him.

"Kevin?"

"No. I don't think I'd be offended. I mean. I will definitely miss them after you get surgery, but I think I'll get over it if it means you'll finally be happy."

"We could probably keep them in a jar of formaldehyde. It may sound a bit macabre, but it would definitely be very interesting."

Kevin chuckled. Leave it to Edd to make something weird into something educational. "We could set them up with some preserved animal fetuses for Halloween," he said as a joke.

Eddward gasped and smiled. "That's a great idea!"

Kevin just rubbed at his face in defeat.

The day of, Kevin held Eddward's left hand tight while Edd's mother held his right one. The blind man was very anxious and jittery, tapping his foot or pacing as they waited to be placed in a room for prepping. Mrs. Vincent sat by Edd's side the whole time while Kevin tried talking to him to keep his mind of the seemingly endless wait.

Finally, a nurse led the trio into a room with a bed. She instructed Eddward to change into scrubs and he would be transferred into the operation room in about half an hour.

Kevin and Edd's mother were told to return to the waiting area for the remainder of their stay after another nurse came in to wheel Edd by the bed into the operating room. They both gave the man a kiss and hug and they wouldn't see him next for a few hours at the least.

The red-headed counterpart paced endlessly. The loud ticking by the clock hung on the wall was driving him crazy because for all the noise it made, it didn't seem to do much else. He paced and counted the ticks; he paced and watched the news; he paced and wove figures out of the splatter print tile-floor.

"He's in recovery right now," a nurse said as soon as she was in the waiting room. Kevin and Mrs. Vincent had hurried to her side. "You can go see him, but his eyes will be wrapped for a while."


	71. Which is which?

Kevin couldn't understand why Double D ever wanted to play with the two dorks. They were always doing stupid things and they were pretty rowdy. Sarah liked to play with dolls and even Nazz didn't like it when Kevin and Rolf got to playing a little tough. So why did Double D play with the Eds?

It was probably because they had the same name? Eddy and Ed said that Double D had a name close to theirs, but Kevin couldn't come up with one. Could it be Eddwina? But that was too dorky and Double D wasn't as dorky as the two Eds even if she was kind of a know-it-all.

And what about her parents? They were hardly ever there, of course, but didn't they not like their daughter playing with a bunch of boys and no girls? Kevin's mother always liked to remind him that he couldn't always just play with Nazz, he had to play with other kids too. But Double D only played with Ed and Eddy.

Kevin suddenly remembered the time at one of Nazz's barbeques when the Eds had come over in Speedos. He all of a sudden felt kind of annoyed that Eddy had made Double D dress like that. And what if they'd changed in front of each other?! Kevin decided he would pound Eddy the very next time he saw him for making Double D do that. He was probably taking advantage of the fact she was a girl and so shy and junk! Kevin ground his teeth.

The red-headed preteen didn't think much of why Double D was on the football team, though. Jimmy was a cheerleader so that couldn't mean anything. Besides, Double D didn't like football much anyways. She was probably just forced to play it by her parents or something.

At the end of Junior High, Kevin started to notice that he was getting taller. He no longer had to look up as high to see Rolf of big-Ed and much to his pleasure he had to look further down at Eddy.

Double D was getting taller too, but everyone was so…

In High School, Kevin's voice dropped a few octaves. The years of squeaky, girly sounds were over for him, just like Rolf and Ed and Jonny. Eddy was almost there.

Nazz was starting to look like her mother as well. She got taller and slimmer and a more noticeable waistline.

Double D just got taller and slimmer and not much else.

By the end of Junior year, Double D was the tallest of the cul-de-sac children, except for big-Ed and Rolf, Kevin thought. But they didn't count because they were a little bit older than everyone else. Kevin now had to look up at the Double Dweeb to talk to her.

Then one day in class, while answering a question for the teacher, Double D's voice dropped. It wasn't a very noticeable change, just a subtle shift, but Kevin noticed and Double D definitely noticed because she'd slapped a hand over her mouth and squeaked, not finishing her answer.

Kevin flipped through his Health book to look up if girls' voices changed too. It said they did, but not that much, not like a guys. Huh, you learned something new every day.

But, Double D never got a curvy waistline or lumps under her shirt like Nazz did. She was flat-chested and had an awkward voice and gangly arms.

One day, Kevin noticed Double D coming out of the boy's bathroom. His eyes grew wide and he was immediately suspicious.

Catching up with the dork, Kevin gave a casual hello, startling the poor kid. He apologized and scuttled around the question before Double D caught on and answered for him.

"What other bathroom would I use, Kevin?" Double D asked with a raised brow. "I surely couldn't use the girl's. That would be preposterous."

"What?"

"I don't think the school staff would very much like it if a boy were to use the girl's facilities, Kevin."


	72. First Sight

Eddward Vincent was very smart. He'd been a bright child, figuring out how to read all on his very own months before the average for his Nature. He began writing his name and then words and finally full sentences shortly afterwards. His speaking skills, though, were more average than his other motor skills, but his parents couldn't ignore the chance to get their child learning and discovering at a young age.

At three, the earliest Omega children were allowed, Eddward was sent to day school from morning to evening. During these early years, each of the Natures were allowed in same class settings, encouraging interaction between the Natures that some children would normally not get.

Eddward, the only child of Roger and Margie Vincent, didn't much like public school. From the very beginning, he protested, refusing with words and actions when his parents got him up in the morning to head to school. Sometimes he shouted, something out of his Nature, but certainly not out of his personality, and sometimes he even hid, under his bed, in his closet, outside.

His mother and father tried asking what made him dislike school so much, but Eddward refused to tell them, sure that if he made enough of a fuss, they would eventually give up and leave him be. It wasn't uncommon for Omega children to tend school later in their years or not at all.

Eventually though, instead of taking him out of school altogether, Mother and Father brought Eddward to a private school. They explained to little Eddward that private school was much better than public school. Only talented children were allowed and there would not be as many bullies and the material being taught would be much more up Eddward's alley.

Eddward went through his first day of private school refusing to answer anyone. He wasn't sure about his new dwellings, but by the second day, after he'd slept on his new discoveries, Eddward declared he liked school now at breakfast.

Roger and Margie wiped their brows and sighed in relief. They were very relieved that at least there was a chance that Eddward's intelligence would not go to waste. As he grew up, hopefully he would come to understand the tough decisions he would need to make and the sacrifices he would no doubt come across during his education and realize what a chance he had.

For three years, Eddward came home every day, doing his homework with gusto and a smile on his face. Margie would help him along and Roger would praise him. That is, until one day, when Eddward came home in tears and borrowed pants.

"He pushed me," Eddward blubbered as his mother rubbed alcohol on his scrapped knees and his father held him in his lap. The Omega child wiped at his tears and pouted. That night at dinner he declared he hated school again.

"Honey, school is a special place," Margie tried to persuade. "You are very special to be going there. Don't let some bully change your mind. He means nothing."

"No. I don't wanna go. You can't make me." Eddward crossed his arms and held his nose up to his mother.

The Beta woman looked pleadingly at her husband. They couldn't go through anymore tantrums from Eddward. He needed school. If he wasn't educated, he would come to regret it later in life, they just knew it.

The Alpha father nodded to his wife and took a deep breath. He'd never felt the need to exert his hierarchy on his son. As a child himself, he'd never very much liked the way the government kept the roles of individual Nature black and white. But right now, Eddward needed to learn a lesson.

Roger created a wave of dominate pheromones that both his wife and son picked up on. Margie, as his wife and being much older than their son, was not nearly as affected. Eddward, on the other hand, froze in his chair, wide-eyed and suddenly feeling very frightened.

"Eddward," Roger said in a very demanding voice. His son's head whipped around to face him, eyes large on his tiny head; he didn't dare breath or move an inch. "You're going to school and that's final. If you are bothered by other students you will tell us and your mother and I will deal with them, but you are going to school," he emphasized.

Roger's Omega son nodded furiously, tears forming in his eyes as his face became flush. His breath was now ragged and Roger felt as if he'd overdone his son's first experience with an Alpha. He felt guilty, but his wife shook her head and told him she'd calm Eddward down.

At the age of eight, Eddward came home, sporting news of two friends. They all shared the same name, but their Natures were different. Dear, sweet Ed was a Beta like his mother, while Eddy was a stubborn, strong-willed Alpha.

Mother and Father were concerned at first. Should they allow their son to become friends with an Alpha? In just a few years he would be separated from them until he became of age. But then, Eddward was a smart boy and they knew they could trust his judgments.

Eddy and Ed came over many times during the next few years. Ed could eat his way through a whole market and Eddy didn't have very many manners to speak of, but they made Eddward happy so Mother and Father made the best of it.

At ten, Eddward was sent to the far side of the school where Omegas of that age were grouped together, away from the other two Natures. By this time, they would start learning "proper" etiquette that all Omega children should learn before they were of age.

Eddward hated school again then. Mother and Father couldn't blame him though. Mother spent her time continuing teaching Eddward things that the school no longer offered him. She bought textbooks from the local bookstores and online and Father explained to the best of his ability in a gentle manner why exactly Eddward was not allowed to have the same Science and Math classes he'd been taking up until now.

Worst of all was when Eddward was told he wasn't allowed to see Ed or Eddy during school. He'd cried, instead of winding himself like he did as a child, asking why he wasn't allowed, why was he not allowed?

Mother and Father could only say that as a growing Omega he was not allowed to visit Alphas until he was of age. At that, Eddward cried some more, asking what exactly "of age" meant.

"You tell me I have to be 'of age' nearly every day," he said, tears streaming down his face, "but you never explain what exactly that means."

"You will find out in due time," Mother said. Father looked at her disapprovingly, but she shushed him with a stern glare. "When you are old enough – before 'of age' – we will tell you. We promise."

Eddward was satisfied with that for the time being. He went to school, learning to cook and sew and all the things he'd read about in his history texts, but never thought he'd have to know himself. Why couldn't he just buy new clothes when old ones ran threadbare? Why did he have to know by heart the recipe for bread or stew? It made no sense to him why Ed and Eddy didn't have to learn these things while he had to sit here day in and day out, bored out of his skull.

Sometimes, without telling his mother or father, Eddward would do Ed's homework for him. Those times were disguised as study sessions, but really, all Eddward was doing was finishing their work himself. He would write Eddy's essays and do Ed's times-tables and no-one was any the wiser. (Of course, he would teach them to do their own work properly. It wouldn't do to have them turn in perfect homework and then fail a test. That wouldn't do at all.)

This continued on until the boys were finally in high school. Eddward still could not take the same classes as his friends, but that did not stop him from learning the same material. Learning did not have to stop at the school doors, he thought everyday as his mother and he would read through textbooks in their living room.

At fifteen, just as promised, Mother and Father sat him down to explain just what 'of age' meant and what was coming up on his horizons.

Not ones to beat around the bush now that Eddward was older and capable of comprehending things much better than when he was a child, Roger began their explanation with, "Being of age, for an Omega, son, means that he or she are on regular heat cycles. 'Of age' means that an Omega is old enough to bear children."

Eddward frowned to his father and then his mother and then finally the table. He didn't cry or throw a tantrum and he certainly didn't ask questions. He would wait for the full explanation.

"In our government, the caste system – you remember like in your books – is set up so that the Alphas are on top. Most jobs are Alpha-only and there are many benefits that only Alphas may receive. Next are the Betas, who are more workers than leaders, and then finally the Omegas, who are the ones to carry on life," Father explained.

"Yes, I know that," Eddward mumbled. He'd been taught the system in Junior High, when he'd first been separated. "But, could you please explain why it is that I am not allowed to learn Math and Science and English and History in the schools? Why am I not allowed a full education like Ed or Eddy?"

Margie took this question before Roger could come up with an answer.

"We can't say this in any way to make it sound nice, honey," she said. "There's no way to sugar-coat the way our system is made up. Omegas are not allowed a higher education because the people running our society deem it unnecessary and in some cases inappropriate."

"I don't understand."

"You see, honey, just how the Alphas are allowed certain special privileges, and the Betas are allowed different privileges, Omegas are in some ways the most controlled Nature. Omegas are restricted to a limited amount of academic and working freedom."

"Am I not allowed a job? What is there for me to do when I'm an adult?"

"Son, when an Omega is grown, they are expected to settle down with a Beta or Alpha and raise a family. It is not common for an Omega to be found in the workforce, but if they are it is usually in a low position, something like a messenger or assistant."

Eddward didn't ask his parents any more questions. He didn't talk much after their discussion and his parents feared he was depressed.

The Omega continued to do his friends homework and help them learn where their teachers had failed, but he had lost a kind of spark that even Big-Ed could notice.

When their class was gathered to graduate, Eddward was one of only three Omegas left. The Eds all grouped together after the big walk, and their families all went out to dinner.

During the first year after graduation, with Eddy and Ed in college and Eddward at home with nothing to do but read his old textbooks, Mr. and Mrs. Vincent were having a hard time coming up with something that their son would enjoy.

Margie came home one winter night, Eddward had made dinner, one of the recipes he'd learned at school, and Roger was sat at the dinner table, waiting for his wife. The mother had good news to bear.

"Eddward," she said once everyone had sat down to a steaming bowl. "I found a job I think you would enjoy!"

Eddward glanced at her, but didn't respond.

"There is an opening at the Barnes and Nobel in town. They are looking for a stocker that also knows their way around the different genres and can proffer a book or two! Eddward, it's perfect! I know you love books, so, why not give it a try? Employees get a discount~"

The Omega stared at his stew for a few moments, but then he was looking at his parents with a tiny, excited smile that resembled his mother's.

Eddward now spent his days shelving books - children's, romances, texts – and directing lost people through the tall bookcases past the Spanish language help books to the vampire fiction. It was boring on some days, deathly so on more, but it was nice and Eddward soon started coming home with armfuls of books from educational to recreational.

He was turning twenty soon, living at home and unmated.

His co-workers liked to pick fun at his situation. He let them. It's not like he was worried that he had no Alpha to boss him around and expect the impossible from, he was unmated by choice and it would be like that until he was ready, whether they liked it or not.

Some customers didn't like being directed by an Omega. Mostly, those people were teen-aged Alphas who thought it was their god-given right to talk down to Omegas. Eddward liked to slip gay-romance books into their stack of books when he rang them up on the off-day no-one was at the front. They could explain things when they got home, wondering how they got there.

One day, a red-headed man came in asking about motorcycle maintenance handbooks. Eddward flustered about and eventually, after sending him to two different sections, got the Alpha man in the right place and helped him get the correct book.

"Thanks," the man said. Not many people thanked Eddward. Or talked to him. Or looked at him.

"Y-You're welcome."

The man smirked and patted Eddward's shoulder.

That night, Eddward rushed home to gossip for the first time to his mother.

Margie, as she stirred the stew, listened to her son as he talked about his day, a large smile on his face, his eyes finally joining it. Eddward emphasized what a great day he had, but he'd yet to tell her exactly what made it such a grandiose moment.

"And then, Mother," Eddward said in a conspiratorial whisper, "this man came in and he was so handsome," he gushed with a slight blush and then laughed flutteringly, Margie joining along with him.

"Oh, that's great honey! Did you get his number?"

Eddward immediately stopped giggling. "N-No, I did not even ask his name. A-All I did was show him his book and accept his thanks! Oh, Mother! I'm terrible!"

"Don't worry, honey. I'm sure you'll be seeing more of him soon enough. You're a cutie." She tweaked his cheek and then called her husband for dinner and Eddward blushed and pouted.

The very next day, the red-headed Alpha looking to maintain his motorbike, came to the store, and browsed. Eddward was sent to ask if he needed anything, though he flustered and fumbled and was utterly shy.

"I'm just looking," the Alpha said with a leisurely smirk. "Nothing special today."

"O-Oh, well, if you have any trouble, just come find me." Eddward gave a tiny smile and stumbled away, running into a shelf and knocking over a few books.

He was shelving books a while later. He'd lost track of the Alpha man and was now worried more about organizing the books correctly. Eddward was sitting cross-legged on the floor, books stacked around him, as he alphabetized them by author to place onto the shelves under the fictional literature genre.

"Ehem."

Eddward jumped up, dropping a few books, and flew around.

The Alpha was standing in front of him with a slip of paper.

"Here," he said, shoving the paper into Edd's hands. "Give me a ring later if you want."

Margie, later that night when Eddward showed her the slip nearly fainted. She laughed loudly, calling Roger in to gloat about her instincts and teasing Eddward in front of his father.

"I just knew it! And it didn't even take a day! Ah, I'm the best mother ever~"

Eddward chuckled a little after he'd calmed down a bit. "I guess if you hadn't introduced me to the job offer, I never would have met him—Oh! I still don't know his name!"

"Well, go call him! Or, actually," Margie said, putting a hand on her son's shoulder. "Give him a simple text message and let him respond then wait. Trust me."

"W-What do I type?"

"Just ask for his name and maybe.. Hmm, ask to meet up at the coffee shop down the road from Barnes and Noble. Go on, go on." Margie shooed her son out of the kitchen and up the stairs. "I want to hear what he has to say too!"

His name was Kevin. Kevin Barr. It wasn't extravagant or exotic, it was just a normal, common name, just like Edd's. That seemed to help a bit with the Omega's shot nerves.

He'd asked if they could meet up at the coffee shop on the upcoming Saturday and he'd gotten an affirmative.

This was it. He was going to meet someone with the intent of a relationship, whether it be platonic or physical, he didn't know, but ever since Ed and Eddy had gone to better themselves he'd been pretty lonely and Eddward was never very good at meeting new people. Hopefully everything just went well.


	73. Fitness Gold

It was hard work getting Eddward into the car and Kevin had a split thought that he'd had enough exercise for the day once he'd gotten the beanie-wearing man strapped in. But then he'd hurried around the other side and locked the doors, turning on the child-lock and zipping down the road before Eddward could jump back out and run back home.

"It's not that bad," Kevin lectured. Oh how the tables had turned. "We're gonna work out a bit and you'll feel a lot better."

"I don't see how just maintaining my current diet cannot be enough," Eddward pouted from the backseat. His arms were crossed and he was looking away from Kevin and out the window.

"Because you could use some muscle on those chicken legs," Kevin quipped. He laughed when Eddward made a disappointed noise and he flipped the radio on, turning the music up a bit louder than normal and switching to a pop station.

Once he'd parked and grabbed Eddward's arm before the dork could claim sanctuary in the bookstore just a few shops down, Kevin dragged him in, getting a few stares from the people milling near the entrance.

"Hey, Nat," Kevin called, waving an arm. The blue-headed young man jumped off of the treadmill he'd been messing around on and jogged over to his favourite couple.

"Dude, how'd you get Double Delish down here?" He fist-bumped the red-head with a smirk.

"I'm not here in spirit, Nathan," Eddward explained with a frown. Nat almost chocked as he tried to hold in a hysterical laughter and Kevin swiped the back of his head.

"Whatever, Dork. We're here until three so you're gonna have ta deal." He led the ravenette towards the treadmills and Nat resumed his pacing.

"Just turn the dial to whatever speed you want and keep pace," Kevin explained. "I'd start our slow for now, then work your way up."

Eddward stared at the dials and buttons on the board of the treadmill with distaste. He quickly pulled out a sanitizing napkin and swiped at it before Kevin could complain and he hopped on after pressing a few.

Kevin and Nat were jogging at a fairly fast pace and Eddward noticed his own looked more like a snail's. Self-consciously, after a few minutes of brisk walking, Eddward pushed a button to speed up a little. The belt began picking up speed a bit more quickly and Eddward hurried to try and keep pace, needing to jog at a half-brisk pace so he didn't fall off.

Kevin glanced over, watching Eddward struggle to try and keep up. He noticed the number on the board was a little higher than when he'd started and he smirked to himself. Eddward was too adorable. After warming up, Kevin led Eddward to a mat where he could do sit-ups and push-ups.

"You're gonna start by doing ten each and then we're gonna try fifteen and then twenty and so on," Kevin explained to Eddward again as he got on the floor, motioning the dork to follow. Eddward grimaced at putting his clean hands over the mat, but Kevin ignored it and let Edd use another napkin to sooth his obsession.

"Okay, put your hands down and put your feet together and start pushing up," Kevin commanded as he positioned himself next to Edd, doing his own set of push-ups.

"Up," he said, tilting his head to watch Edd.

Edd took a breath and held it, pushing up with Kevin. "That wasn't so hard," he said with a tiny smile.

"Don't hold your breath and go back down and do another.

"Two, three, four, five."

"I-I lied," Eddward mumbled out as he struggled to push up on the fifteenth. "H-How many more," he asked, his arms wobbling dangerously.

"Mm, let's do five more then go do some pull-ups," Kevin said, counting out for Edd as he did his own pace.

After the horrid push-ups were over, Eddward flopped onto his stomach wheezing and gasping and Kevin handed him a water bottle with a chuckle.

"See, if you did this more regularly, you wouldn't be wheezing so bad."

"I see no need for myself to be put under such strain," Edd gasped. "I am never in a situation that I need to be so physically active." He pouted.

Pull-ups didn't go over as well as the push-ups did. Eddward was able to do five and then no more, no matter how much encouragement Kevin gave him. If he had to lift his chin over the bar one more time he'd puke!

"Okay, now you're going to hold this dumbbell," Kevin said, handing a two-pound weight to Edd. "Hold it in one hand and stretch it behind your head, keeping your elbow up by your ear. Bend your hand down and then straight back up. Do that about twenty times and then switch to the other side." Kevin then went about setting up his own weights and watched over Edd, refining his movements.

After Eddward had powered through the two-pounds and his upper arms were burning lightly, he sat down next to Kevin and glowered at him.

"What?" the red-head asked as he pressed the bar up once more. His face was red and he was sweating slightly.

"I think you owe me dinner for this torture," Edd said with a pout; his cheeks were puffed and his mouth was twisted into a small frown.

"What for?"

"What for?! F-For subjecting me to this utterly horrible place! It's dirty and I don't want to imagine what kind of people come here."

"Alright," Kevin sat up, setting the bar on the rack and turned to Edd, he wiped his face with a towel and panted lightly. "Where do you wanna go?"

"The noodle shop and I want dessert too."

Kevin reached a hand and ruffled Edd's hat and hair. "Alright, bossy. We'll go after we shower at home."

"And I never want to come here again."

The red-head sighed. "Fine. I won't make you come again if you really don't want to." Edd shook his head.

"Good." Eddward nodded then he glanced up from under his cap. "T-Thank you for trying, though." And then he hurried to lean over and peck Kevin's lips before anyone saw.


	74. Lesson One

"I hate kids," Eddy muttered as he pulled into the Elementary front parking lot. Beside him, Eddward giggled behind his hand.

"Of course you do, Eddy. That's because you don't give them a chance." He gathered up his messenger bag and pulled the strap over his head. "Thank you for giving me the ride, Eddy. I'll see you at four o'clock sharp." He leaned over and planted a kiss on Eddy's temple.

The driver moaned and groaned. "Just hurry up. I don't want anyone seeing me here and think I gotta kid o'my own."

Eddward giggled again and got out, waving as Eddy drove off. After the car was gone, Eddward headed down the sidewalk, humming a tune under his breath and checking over his itinerary for the day.

He had sums first thing in the morning. Nothing better than math to get the children's brains pumping! Afterwards was science in the science lab with another teacher, giving Eddward his break for conferences. Little Suzie's mother was coming to talk about her performance. Then there was Reading and Writing and then lunch and recess. After break, the children had P.E. and then music with old Mrs. Brown and finally history.

Eddward waved good morning to the receptionist. Nat was always so energetic. It was a good thing he was out front. Eddward didn't think the children could keep up with him.

"Have a good day, Sweet-cheeks," the blue-haired man called as Eddward walked down the main hall. The fifth-grade teacher giggled behind his hand at the receptionist's antics.

Eddward passed the nice old man who swept the floors and he stopped for a quick conversation and then waved goodbye as he went on his way to his classroom.

Smiling brightly, Eddward unlocked his classroom door and flipped the lights on. The room was full of colourful posters and the student's works hung up on every available space. Everything was a sort of organized mess. Eddward knew exactly where everything was, though the floor wasn't exactly as clean as he would have liked it. Each desk had a neat label with the student's name and every draw and shelf was labeled similarly.

Sitting behind his desk, Eddward finished going over his itinerary and pulled out all the things he needed from his bag. He placed it neatly inside a drawer and then checked his cell phone.

Eddy had texted him just a moment after he'd driven off. Eddward frowned. He really shouldn't text and drive; it limited motor ability and reaction time. He gave a quick reply, telling Eddy what he would like for dinner and then placed the phone in the same drawer as his bag.

At the dry erase board, Eddward created a list of sums and then hurried to the lounge to punch in and collect the worksheets he needed for the day.

Nazz, the Librarian, was sipping coffee and flipping through her phone. She called out a hello to Eddward and he returned it.

"Isn't it a pleasant morning, Ms. Nazz?"

The blonde woman laughed. "You can just call me Nazz, dude. We've only known each other for how long now?"

"I do believe it would be four years now."

Nazz laughed again. "Yeah, dude. Well, I've gotta go and open up. See ya later." Eddward waved after her and decided to build a cup of tea for his-self to sip on through the morning.

While he heated a cup of water and waited for the copy machine to warm up, the P.E. coach came in and just about walked right back out. Eddward gave him an odd look, but then Mr. Barr came back in, chuckling to himself and rubbing his neck.

"Hello," Eddward called across the room. He went to the microwave and began steeping his tea. He pressed a few buttons on the copier and waited for the stack of worksheets to pop out.

The coach mumbled a hello and Eddward giggled behind his hand. Mr. Barr was a very shy person. The two went about their business and when Eddward was going to leave, Mr. Barr called out a good morning. Eddward giggled once more and returned the greeting.

The children began filling their desks soon after and Eddward went on his way, teaching them to the best of his ability, checking sums. Math always went fastest during the morning and soon the children were filing down the hall towards the science lab and Eddward was waiting for Suzie's mother.

The conference went… Better than he'd thought. Mrs. Erikson was a very passionate woman, if he could be so bold. She was loud and wanted what was best for her daughter, he could tell, but he was sure she could make sure of that without raising her voice. Mrs. Erikson always had something negative for Eddward to hear and today was no different.

"If they didn't let men teach elementary, I'm sure we would be getting further along," she said with contempt.

Eddward gave a tiny frown. "Actually, Mrs. Erikson, while teaching is predominately a female occupation, the gender of the teacher has no affect on the students, as far as I'm aware. I assure you, I am doing my best to engage Suzie and bring out the best in her."

Mrs. Erikson sniffed. "I'm sure."

"If you are so very concerned with my teaching ability, I'm sure you could request a transfer and have Suzie admitted into another class. I don't think it would be much of a trouble. But if I could ask to be given a chance to prove my ability, then I would greatly appreciate it." He gave Mrs. Erikson a faux-smile.

Mrs. Erikson called the conference short with some other meeting that probably did not exist because she knew and Eddward knew that Eddward had cornered her. She was just being a whiny bitch and Eddward was kind enough to not say so in as many words.

The children returned a few minutes after Mrs. Erikson left and Eddward had the class pull out their copies of A Wrinkle in Time. Eddward had read the book many times over the years and he was pleased to note that his classes always found the tale fantastic.

Lunch was upon them quickly and Eddward was free once more, not having lunch duty. He sat in the teacher's lounge and ate his lunch of vegetarian Thai curry soup. He ate that specifically every Friday as a sort of reminder that the week was finally over and what better way to start the weekend than some good home-cooked Asian food? Everyone loved Asian food.

Half-way through his bowl, someone sat down beside him and Eddward was pleased to see it was Mr. Barr. He smiled and wiped his mouth and said hello. Mr. Barr stuttered and said hello back.

"It's a lovely day, don't you think? It promises an equally lovely weekend." Mr. Barr's face turned red as the chilies in Eddward's soup. He giggled behind his hand. "You're a very funny person, Mr. Barr."

"If you only knew, Sweet-cheeks," Nat said from behind him. Eddward spun around.

"You shouldn't creep up on people like that, Nathan," Eddward chided. "I could have frightened and then choked and then where would we be?"

Nat sat down at their table and laughed. "Well, I know where Kev would be—Ow!" his knee banged the table and Eddward looked at him oddly. Mr. Barr just looked away.

Eddward finished his soup and chatted with Nathan and tried to incorporate Mr. Barr, but the shy guy just wouldn't take it. The teacher bid his leave after a while and hurried to take a shift watching the students outside as they played.

Eddward's class headed straight back for the gym after recess. P.E. was definitely their favourite class and Eddward liked to sit on the sidelines and read while Mr. Barr got them playing games and such. Really, he couldn't understand how Mr. Barr could be so shy around him when he always saw how energetic he was with the children.

Once the kids got a game of kickball going, Mr. Barr sidled up near Eddward who sat on the steps of the stage, reading his latest sci-fi novel. He didn't notice the red-headed man until he cleared his throat and offered a quiet hello.

"Oh!" Eddward hurried to put his book down; it was quite rude to keep one open during conversation. "Hello! I-I thought you were still with the children."

"Yeah… Uh… Yeah."

"Are you having a nice day?"

"Yeah… Y-You?"

"Oh, it's been wonderful. I don't think I can have a bad day at school." Eddward giggled behind his hand.

"Yeah."

The two teachers sat in silence for a while, watching the children kick the large red, rubber ball and run the bases. Then suddenly, Mr. Barr seemed to find his voice.

"So, uh, I've been wondering…"

"Oh, what about?"

"Uh, I-I was wondering if you'd, you know, want to go out and get dinner some time?"

Eddward blushed a dark red. "O-Oh, um… I-I think that would lovely. Do you have a date in mind?"

"Date? Um… is tonight asking too much?"

Eddward giggled a bit nervously behind his hand. "No, not at all, though I'll have to inform my roommate and tell him I'll be late coming home."

Mr. Barr smiled. "Alright. We can get the details after work?"

"Yes. I'll be looking forward to tonight." Eddward smiled and Mr. Barr stumbled off, shouting for the children to swap places.

While the students were in music class, Eddward clutched his phone tightly, texting Eddy to be there early to pick him up.

Of course, he'd asked why and complained and moaned, but in the end he would be there at three-thirty in the teacher's parking lot.

The history lesson flew by and soon, Eddward was escorting students towards the front to see them off as parents picked them up in the car-rider line. The line went by sluggishly, the other teachers chatting and shouting names, but finally, the last student was gone and Eddward hurried to pack up and meet with Mr. Barr.

"I'll have to go home to change, but I can give you my address," Eddward said as he wrote it down on a sticky note. The two also swapped numbers so Mr. Barr could text Eddward the details and call when he was there to pick him up.

At three-thirty on the dot, Eddward bid his leave and practically flew to Eddy's car. He stumbled in and clicked his seatbelt and they were on their way, Eddy giving him odd looks as he drove down the road.

"I'm meeting a co-worker for dinner tonight," Eddward explained. "And I need to get ready before he shows up to pick me up."

"A 'co-worker'?" Eddy said with a loud laugh. "Are you sure it's just for dinner? Remember when that guy from Lowes asked you to dinner?"

Eddward flushed and pouted at Eddy. "I hardly think Mr. Barr is a crude man. I don't think someone with as filthy a mind as that man could be allowed in a school full of young children," he said indignantly.

"They let that Goldberg guy work there," Eddy said with a snort. "And I can assure you he's flirting 100 percent of the time to the parents and the staff."

Eddward shook his head as he rolled his eyes. "Nathan is just a very personable man."

"Yeah, 'personable'."

"Either way," Eddward said sternly. "Mr. Barr is picking me up at five o'clock and we are going for dinner and you are not allowed to make any rude comments, joking or otherwise when I get back."

"As long as you give me the deets," Eddy said. He pulled into their apartment complex and they headed inside, Eddward heading straight for the shower.

Mr. Barr pulled up right on time. He texted Eddward he was there and waited for the young man to stumble down the stairs, laughing lightly behind a hand. He opened the door for the teacher and Eddward thanked him and told him how kind the gesture was.

"Was there someplace specific you had in mind," Eddward asked as they headed onto the freeway.

"No, uh, wherever you like. I don't mind much."

"Are you opposed to a more plant-based meal? I don't eat meat or dairy," Eddward warned softly. "But if you aren't in to that, we could go somewhere with a more open menu."

"Where ever you want," Mr. Barr said with a blush.

"O-Oh, well then, there's this wonderful little diner. It's not very expensive at all and the food is very good. It's just off this next exit. I'm sure you'll enjoy it as well!" Eddward pointed where to go and soon he and Mr. Barr were being seated and asked for drinks.

"I found this place by accident, you see," Eddward said as he sipped on ice water. "My roommate and I were looking for something different and this just happened to catch my eye. It's very quaint, don't you think?"

Mr. Barr gave the diner a once over and nodded. "Yeah."

"So, what made you decide to ask me for dinner?" Eddward smiled when Mr. Barr flushed behind his menu.

"W-Well I… You see, I… Uh, yeah…"

Eddward giggled behind his hand. "You don't have to say why if you don't want to. But I do appreciate the offer."

Their waitress came by and took their orders and the two sat in silence for a while after.

"What made you decide you wanted to teach physical education?"

"Um, you know, just seemed like the right kind of job for me, you know."

"I see." Eddward smiled. "Don't you ever get tired of running around though? I can barely keep up with my students as it is."

"Nah, um, you get used to it after a while. You start getting more and more exercise and it just becomes second nature."

"Do you work out outside of school?"

"Yeah. I have a home gym, though. It's less expensive, you know."

"Do you think you could teach me a thing or two one day?"

Mr. Barr chocked on his soda and Eddward stood quickly and patted his back, handing him a napkin. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, um… Yeah, I could—I could teach you something."

"I'm not the best at athletics, you know," Eddward teased. "I might be a bit of a pain at first."

"Nah, not you, I mean…" Mr. Barr took a large drink. "It's nothing."

"You know," Eddward said after their meal came by and the two had been picking at it for a while as they cooled down. "This may not be very appropriate to say at dinner in public, but my roommate thought you were a pervert." He giggled quietly behind his hand and Mr. Barr just about spit his drink out.

"He tells me I'm the kind to tend to attract those sorts of people. I think you'll be pleased to know that I defended your honor. I don't think a man like you could be like that. Not after having met someone like that. You're too kind and the way you handle the children is very convivial."

"Yeah, uh… Yeah, I'm not… Like that." He laughed nervously.

After paying, Eddward insisted they split the bill equally instead of having Mr. Barr pay for the entirety like he wanted, the two sat in Mr. Barr's car for a while.

"I hope it doesn't seem too forward of me, but do you mind if I call you Kevin now? I don't think it's very polite to call someone so formally until you've met them properly so - unless you don't want me to!"

"N-No! Call me Kevin, please. I'd like that, if I could call you Eddward, as well?"

"Of course! It's only right to return the offer, after all!"

Kevin drove Eddward home and Eddward thanked the man for a lovely evening. The sun had set and the sky was turning a dark blue quickly, insects buzzing and bats swooping here and there, snatching them up for an early dinner.

"I think we should do this again sometime," Eddward said before he began his trek up the stairs to his apartment. "I really enjoyed it."

"Y-Yeah, uh…" Kevin swallowed a lump in his throat and finally, finally he said something aloud just like he'd said it in his head: "Would you still go out next time if I were to call it a date?"

Eddward blinked blankly at Kevin for a moment and the red-head regretted saying that.

"O-Of course, I'd go out next time," Eddward said softly, a tiny smile on his face. "And I'd be flattered if you were to call it a date. Could I be so bold as to call this first dinner one as well?"

"The first of many, I hope," Kevin said and Eddward giggled.

"Then I think I can say I had a lovely time on our first date." And with that, he leant over and kissed Kevin's temple, thanking him once more and hurrying up his steps, waving goodbye one more time before slipping inside.


	75. Communication

Dear Eddward

Don't forget to do the dishes, fold the laundry, and mop the floor.

Love, Mom

Dear Eddward

Make sure to clean the den and dust the drapes.

Dad

Eddward

Don't stay up too late and don't forget to study

Father

Eddward

Make dinner and be in bed by nine

Mother

Eddward stared at the many notes his parents had left him for the week with a sullen expression. Every week the notes were restocked around the house, filling in the places the old ones once stuck.

They were all mostly the same. Mother wanted the house clean and Father wanted good grades. All Eddward wanted was Mother and Father.

As each of the chores were ticked off his mental list, Eddward neatly folded the used sticky notes and carefully placed them in the trash bin, weary of the paper spilling over. Everything had to be perfect.

One note, stuck on the uppermost part of the refrigerator, was left untouched, all the other notes around it having already been read and completed.

Dear Eddward

Make sure the house is clean and dinner is ready. We will be home tonight, possibly.

Mother and Father

The little note had a sort of control over his mind and actions, pushing him forward as he read the last of the notes and made sure the soup on the stove didn't burn. In the oven, a roast was cooking just as the recipe Eddward had looked up said it should. Everything had to be perfect if, when his parents got home. They would eat a nice dinner and Eddward would listen to what they had to say about their work and how well of a job Eddward had done with the house and how lovely dinner was and how good of a son he was for them.

At seven, Eddward had the roast sitting in the oven after cutting it into slices for easy dishing. The soup was left over a low simmer to keep warm and the table was set and he was sitting in the den on the couch nearest the front window. As soon as Mother and Father's car pulled into the drive, Eddward would see their headlights and hop up, unlocking the door and answering it with a warm smile, ready to take Mother's coat and Father's jacket to hang up and lead them into the dining room for a warm dinner.

At eight, Eddward plated three meals and placed them back into the oven. The rest of the soup and the roast was packed up and put into the refrigerator. Eddward sat back down in the den, watching the thin curtains for bright lights expectantly.

At nine, Eddward moved to the kitchen, cleaning any messes he may have missed. Then he sat at the table and watched the wall across from the front window.

At ten, Eddward was doing laundry and vacuuming the den and dusting the curtains.

At eleven, Eddward paced around the house, looking for something, anything to calm his mind.

At midnight, Eddward placed the plated meals into the fridge covered by saran wrap.

From one to three, Eddward cleaned the bathroom and rearranged the medicine cabinets and his closet.

From four to five, Eddward sat in the den. Birds were chirping and he was still waiting for the bright headlights.

At six, Eddward began his morning routine, bathing and dressing for the day. As soon as he was done, he peeked out the window in case he'd missed his parents' arrival. The lot was empty.

At seven, Eddward made breakfast, ignoring the roast and soup and plates cluttering the fridge, going for the eggs and bread.

At eight, there was a knock at the door. Eddward was putting the dishes away, but he hurried to answer the door, a bright smile on his tired face.

"Hey, dork," Kevin said with a small smirk. He lightly punched Eddward's shoulder. "What'cha doin'?"

Eddward let him in and led him to the kitchen, asking if he would like any refreshments, other than that, he did not answer.

His smile was now a terrible frown that tugged all the way down into his heart.

As Kevin sipped on some coffee, he watched as Eddward put the dishes away, lacking any luster like he was usually chock-full of at this time of day.

"Hey, Edd," he asked quietly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Kevin. What makes you think otherwise?" Eddward asked without turning around, keeping his back to the red-head.

"Oh, 'cause you aren't lookin' at me while ya talk. 'Cause you're not as chipper as normal. What's wrong?" He stood up and went to Edd's side, nudging him to look at him.

"Nothing's wrong, Kevin, I assure you. Nothing out of the ordinary. Just another day as usual. Nothing different." Edd sniffed.

"Aw, come on man, something's wrong. Tell me," Kevin implored.

"Nothing's wrong, Kevin, I assure you," Edd said once again. "Like I said, it's nothing out of the usual." He took a deep breath to calm himself. "I was just being silly."

"What do you mean? What's silly?"

Eddward glanced to the sticky note still stuck to the fridge door with teary eyes and a tiny frown. "It's nothing, like I said," he said once more.

Kevin ventured over, a sense of foreboding washing over him as he guessed what exactly the note said. He read it once and frowned then read it again.

"Aw, Edd…"

"I'm fine," Edd blubbered quietly, waving his hands in front of him. "It's nothing different. I-I should have known. It's my fault."

"It's not your fault, Edd," Kevin said firmly. He stuffed the note into his pocket so Edd wouldn't look at it again. "It's not your fault they didn't come. It's theirs."

"I'm being selfish, I know," Eddward babbled as he wrapped his arms around himself. Kevin wrapped his arms around Eddward also.

"You're not selfish, either. But you are disappointed and probably tired. Did you sleep at all, Edd?"

"Maybe a few minutes," Edd said with a shrug. "I think I nodded off in the shower this morning."

"Alright. Well, you're going upstairs for a few hours of sleep and then you and I are going to do something special." Kevin led Eddward up the stairs, not hearing any protests from the ravenette. "I bet you stayed up all night worrying and cleaning and now you're going to go sleep."

Edd's bedroom was spotless, just as usual, but while rummaging through the drawers for a set of pajamas, Kevin noticed the usual drawer now held surgical items instead of the cotton pants. He shook his head. Going through a few more drawers, Kevin finally threw a pair of sleep pants to Edd and ordered he change right there.

Eddward, the sleep finally catching up to him, nodded listlessly. He yawned languidly and stripped off his shirt and pants and slipped on the sleeping pants and crawled under the bed.

"Will you stay until I fall asleep, at least," he asked in a whisper as he rested his head on his pillow. Kevin nodded and lied down on the bed next to Edd, and stroked his hair.

Eddward sniffled a few more times and finally fell asleep a few minutes later. Kevin got up quietly, making sure the curtains were closed so the sun wouldn't bother Edd and stepped back downstairs.

In the kitchen he checked in the fridge and found the dinner that Edd had made the previous night. He sighed and closed the door again. Damn. He would have to think of something extra special to take Edd's mind off of his parents.


	76. He thought he had Time

He thought he had time. He thought he had time.

There couldn't have been anyone vying for the dork's attention, he thought. He thought he had time.

No-one would want to go out with a dork like Double D. He thought he had time.

There wasn't anything that made one think that the Double Dork was "off the market". He thought he had time.

He only ever hung out with Dork and Dorkier. He thought he had time.

He still ran away from Marie. He thought he had time.

Girls made him nervous and shy. He thought he had time.

The guys were obnoxious and pounded on him. He thought he had time.

They were barely just young adults. He thought he had time.

College was just around the corner. He thought he had time.

He'll gather himself up soon. He thought he had time.

Summer was upon them, their last in the cul-de-sac. He thought he had time.

Lazy hot days followed. He thought he had time.

The lump started leaving Double Dork's house later and later. He thought he had time.

He got there earlier and earlier. He thought he had time.

They held hands. He thought he had time.

They kissed on the porch. He thought he had time.

He was just a lump, a stupid dork who didn't understand anything! He thought he had time.

The shadows behind the curtains… He thought he had time.

The rings on their fingers. He thought he had time.

The first semester crept up on them. He thought he had time.

"Ed, the loveable oaf, he worked so hard these last few months and he's following me to college." Eddward confided in Kevin. Why he'd chosen his red-headed neighbor, he would never understand. He was right there, just feet, inches…

"He's been so kind and sweet and I am very proud of him for finally showing some initiative. His college acceptance was something of a surprise, if I may." Eddward giggled behind a hand and Kevin died a little on the inside. That laugh was so cute.

"I just wanted to go around to everyone and say goodbye. He and I will be leaving first thing tomorrow morning," the dork said finally. He looked at Kevin with a large smile. "It's like only yesterday Ed, Eddy and I were all scheming for quarters and jawbreakers. Ah, but I think we're too young to be reminiscing just yet."

Then he held out a hand and Kevin wanted too much to take his whole god-damn arm and tug him inside his home and never allow him to leave. He shook Edd's hand and then the dork left to go say the same damn thing to Nazz.

Kevin watched, the next morning, as Eddward climbed into the old, beat up pick-up that was Ed's and as the two drove off to their future. He thought he had time, but he never had a single second.


	77. Before

Eddward was not to be mated by choice; he was more of a token to barter with. He knew this and he accepted this, but he did not at all like this. He would make the best of his situation, no matter what, though.

Nathan was the head Alpha of a near-by pack and the head Alpha of his own pack was wanting a way to strengthen bonds with this pack. Eddward and a few other Omegas were to be traded to seal the deal. Eddward just had the unique position of being hand-picked by Nathan. He blue-headed Alpha man gave him chills.

A slightly younger Omega girl was crying in the arms of another Omega to be traded. Eddward sat near them, setting a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him with confusion.

"You can't cry when we are presented," he said in a small voice. "It will not please the leaders."

The girl sniffed and buried her head into the other's shoulder. The two older Omegas gave each other a knowing look. The younger one just needed to get her turmoil out of the way.

Despite his mission to make the best out of his dealt hand, soon after being presented to Nathan with the other Omegas, Eddward found that their new leader was not as kind or equal. Omegas, to this new Alpha, were lowly. Eddward didn't know what happened to the other Omegas after they were looked over and fought over. He only knew that they must have endured a terrible life.

His own life with Nathan was not much better, though. The Alpha Leader was very demanding and had a short fuse with many things.

During his first heat with the new pack, Eddward was treated roughly and not at all like how his mother had told him an Alpha would treat him.

Nathan was brash and only looking for his own satisfaction. Eddward hated him for it, feeling terrible after every single time, but still looking at the good things in his new life, as few as they were.

Then his third heat came and his was with child.

When he was first diagnosed, Eddward feared for the child. What would a child be like, growing up in the presence of an Alpha like Nathan? A man who was harsh and rude and never at all toned down? Eddward feared the child would grow into another Nathan, brash and unmannerly.

As his stomach grew and his strength left him quickly, leaving him panting and wishing nothing more than to lay down, Eddward was ordered by Nathan to do some task or another. The Alpha had no courtesy for his pains, bearing his spawn. That was around the time Eddward began resenting Jim, before he was even born.

The child was doing nothing but growing, becoming a person, and all Eddward did was hate it and blame it for his troubles.

Nathan came home with a purple-haired Omega one night and the two copulated with Eddward still in the room, laden down with a heavily pregnant belly. He was embarrassed for the other Omega; face flushed bright red and trying not to listen to the noises that the two made. Eddward learned soon after the other Omega was pregnant and he watched from afar as Nathan played nursemaid to the other Omega,

At night closer to his labor, when Nathan and Rave were long since passed out, Eddward would rub his stomach and cry quietly, apologizing to his bump. It wasn't the child's fault everything was shit. Not at all, he was just in a terrible situation and had no reliefs.

When Jim was born, the baby would not stop crying. Eddward wanted to do something about it, really, he did, but what could he do? He was without any strength and no energy to care.

Jim cried on the floor, loud wails that pierced the ears of anyone nearby. Nathan hated the child, yelling at Eddward to shut it up or else, but still Eddward did nothing. So what if the baby died? It's not like it had any hope.

One day, Eddward woke up to silence. He hadn't heard that in days. The baby was constantly—

Eddward jumped up, searching the den for his baby, his heart racing and his mind giving him terrible thoughts. Silence with a newborn was never a good sign. Oh Lord, what if Nathan had been true in his threats? Eddward panicked and searched the den up and down.

He found Rave with the baby, rocking it and nursing it with a bottle of goat's milk. Eddward glared at the Omega, sending him frightening waves of protectiveness towards his child.

"Let him go, you-you—"

Rave stood and walked cautiously to Eddward, holding the tiny baby out to him, Eddward snatched him up, throwing the bottle away when Rave tried to hand it over as well. He growled quietly, something unheard of for him.

"Stay away from my baby," he snarled.

"He was hungry," Rave said quietly, staying calm in Eddward's enraged presence. "He needed to be fed or he would die," he explained.

"T-Thank you, then," Eddward said lamely. He held Jim to his chest and let the baby suckle without regard for his own shy nature.

"He is a handsome boy," Rave said after a few minutes.

"T-Thank you."

"It's a shame Nathan has to be so hard-headed."

Eddward frowned and furrowed his brows. Nathan was a pig. He told Rave as such.

The next night, Nathan banished Eddward and Jim from the pack. He gave them no time to pack things for survival, running them out, in very literal terms.

Eddward nearly lost Jim several more times during the next year. The baby was not suited for harsh weather with no shelter. The cold and warmth did no good for the tiny being, conjuring up coughs and sneezes that terrified Eddward who had no way of administering medicine; he had no knowledge of what plant cured what.

The winter was worst of all. Eddward himself was feeling the effects of abandonment, barely able to scrounge up enough food to produce milk for Jim. He ate as much he could, resorting to bitter leaves that he prayed were not poisonous and chewing bark into manageable paste.

He remembered curling up with Jim under a tangled not of risen roots, nestled out of the freezing snow. He'd wrapped around Jim, pulling his tattered and threadbare coat around the child and fell asleep for a long time.

Waking up in a den had frightened Eddward dearly. He was a banished Omega with the faded scent of an Alpha and a child on his hip. He was easy prey for hunters and worried everyday something would happen.

Kevin, though, was kind to him, not like Nathan, but more like the Alpha Leader of his first pack. He was kind yet firm and he acknowledged the worth of an Omega.

He went out of his way to bring the unconscious Omega in from the cold and even endure the winter a second time to find a child not his own. If nothing less, Kevin was a brave man.

Kevin's courting was pleasant and romantic, just like Eddward's dear mother said it should be like. He brought nice things as gifts and comforted Eddward like an Alpha should to an Omega. And when Alphonse was introduced to their family, Eddward, though going through a similar depression like with Jim, with the help and support of Kevin, he was able to overcome it and hold and coo over Al.

He may always have the emotional scar left from his time with Nathan, but his time now spent with Kevin was much more appreciated. Besides, Eddward though, without enduring Nathan, Jim could not be with him and he wouldn't trade anything in his life to change that.


	78. Steps Forward

"Thank you very much for taking time out of your schedule to walk me home," Eddward said with a smile.

Kevin just shrugged while inwardly fighting off the urge to just scream at the adorableness that was his walking buddy. "Yeah, whatever."

"It really was kind of you."

"Yeah, yeah."

"And you don't need to be so shy about asking. I do like to think I make myself a very approachable person."

Kevin muttered something.

"Did you say something, Kevin?"

"I'm not shy, Dork."

Eddward giggled. "Oh, well I guess I just assumed from your hesitant and flustered inquiry this afternoon. I apologize."

Kevin growled quietly. "I'm not shy."

"Yes, you've told me, Kevin."

"Then stop talking about it."

"If I may, you are the one who keeps the topic going. I'm just responding to your side of the conversation. What would you like to talk about instead?"

"I'm not shy!" Kevin exclaimed in answer.

Eddward giggled behind a hand.

"Shut up, Dork."

"Whatever you say, Kevin."


	79. Gone but not Forgotten

Keagan was the one to wake up first. She'd been dreaming of hitting a homerun in her major league baseball team, running the bases and hitting home base, leaping the last couple of feet for the hell of it, dirtying her bleached white uniform a dark, dusty red. But suddenly, everything was wet and it was raining and then she was in a sinking boat, Ellowyn right beside her, gasping for breath and drowning in the rain.

The red-headed woman shot up in bed, gasping in fright and grasping for her chest, trying to calm down. It was just a dream, only a dream.

But, everything was still wet…

Keagan flipped the lamp on and threw the sheets off of her and Ellowyn and screamed pure terror.

The beige sheets that clung to the bed were a dark red, soaking and dripping and Keagan was nearly frozen with terror. Why was there so much blood?

She patted herself down quickly, searching for any wounds and when she came up with none, she turned to Ellowyn.

No.

Ell was so pale. Keagan reached slowly for her and jumped back. The other woman was so cold… Keagan rushed out of bed, her pajamas slick and clinging to her as she ran for the phone in the kitchen.

The operator on the phone walked her through the steps of checking on Ellowyn. She wasn't waking, but she was breathing. Don't move her, the operator repeated. The medics would be their soon and they would assess her more carefully.

Did Ellowyn have any allergies; was she taking any medicine; could she possibly be pregnant?

Keagan's heart stopped when the man in uniform asked her questions so the others could determine what exactly was causing the bleeding. She stared blank faced, mouth agape, at the medic assistant.

"S-She—" Keagan nodded franticly, her eyes tearing up and throat constricting. "W-We're trying for kids," she explained with a thick voice. "T-They're going to be okay, right? Right?"

"Your partner will be fine after an IV and some rest," one of the other medics spoke up with a sorrowful tone. "But, ma'am, this much blood can only mean she had a miscarriage."

Keagan shook her head. "No. Don't say that," she spat. Her tears were falling down her cheeks, burning them and her nose dripped and she felt so terrible as she held Ellowyn's head in her lap.

"I'm sorry, ma'am," the man said. The others worked silently.

They took Ellowyn by ambulance and Keagan rode with them. The ravenette would need to be observed for a few days to make sure her health returned properly.

Gods. Ellowyn.

The next morning, Ellowyn woke up crying. Keagan was sat next to her bed and she shushed her and pat her head and hands.

"W-Why are we in the hospital?" she asked quietly. She was still pale and her grip on Keagan's hand was weak. "D-Did something happen?"

Keagan frowned and teared up once again. "W-We lost the baby, hon," she said gently. "You had a miscarriage during the night."

"They're gone?"

"I'm sorry," Keagan said brokenly, wrapping Ell in a hug, letting the other cry into her shoulder. "I'm so sorry."

Ellowyn cried for a long time and Keagan tried her best to be strong, but how could she? She'd also lost her babies, even if it wasn't as intimately as Ellowyn. Her babies were gone and… And the nursery was all set up and the crib was built and toys and clothes were already bought…

Oh God.

Ellowyn was released the same day and ordered to bed rest and no heavy lifting or strenuous activity for seventy-two hours. The ravenette had no trouble fulfilling the prescription.

Once they were home again, Ellowyn lay in bed on her side and read or worked on her schoolwork. She didn't talk to Keagan and only ate when the ginger forced her down the stairs, looking the opposite direction of the nursery.

During the week, Keagan called her brother and begged him to help her figure out what to do with the baby things.

"We can't keep them. Ell won't get better if she keeps seeing or thinking about them." Kevin promised to come over and help pack things up and deal with them and so that weekend, Keagan sent Ellowyn to her mother's house for the two days.

Kevin and Keagan packed up the tiny clothes and boxes of diapers and deconstructed the crib and even went so far as to repaint so that the nursery was no longer a nursery and now an office filled with a desk and a swivel chair and lots of boring books that left no trace that a baby was once meant to reside there.

Ellowyn came home that Sunday night to a house smelling of vegetable stew and a clean everything. Her weekend with her mother and father had done wonders on her spirit and the nice surprise from Keagan was wonderful.

"This is a wonderful dinner," she said as the two sat curled on the couch with the television playing a popular new sitcom. The two laughed at appropriate jokes and made fun of the terrible lines.

"It was nothing. Kevin's boyfriend actually showed me the recipe. He's a vegetarian too," Keagan explained with a cheesy smile.

"Well, it was still lovely," Ellowyn said, pecking the ginger's nose. "It was a nice end to a nice weekend."

The two slept on the couch that night after pushing the bowls onto the coffee table and making love. Ellowyn let slip a few tears during and Keagan did her best to make the ravenette feel her very best. There would be no more tears for the lost babies, only smiles and gratefulness that they were at least given a chance.

Keagan didn't show Ellowyn the nursery-turned-office until the next week.

When she did, Ellowyn cried again, a mix of bubbly laughter and sorrowful moans, as she sat in the swivel chair and looked at the half-empty bookcases that sat where the crib once did.

"You can do your work in here," Keagan said softly, having moved around so that she now sat in the chair and Ellowyn sat in her lap. "The room won't become a desert island and we can make it into something that makes us both happy," she explained.

"That was kind of you, Keag," Ellowyn said quietly, kissing the other woman. She sniffed a bit. "But, did you save…"

Keagan scooted the chair and reached down into one of the larger drawers in the desk. Leaning back up she handed a soft plush to Ellowyn. "I knew you would want to keep it so… And we didn't really get rid of some of the stuff. Kev and I donated the diapers and some of the clothes, but we still have the crib and a couple other things. But, yeah…"

Ellowyn smiled as she held the fuzzy rabbit plush in her hands delicately. "Thank you," she said quietly again. She squeezed it and didn't put it down until that night where she placed it onto the side table on her side of the bed.


	80. Basket Race

Edd's ankle was sprained. It didn't hurt so much, but when he walked on it for a period of time, it began throbbing, but the grocery shopping had to be done!

Kevin had tagged along as his assistant-slash-guard in case he hurt his ankle anymore or fell and also to give him some company to make the chore a bit more social. He followed along behind Eddward as the ravenette pushed the trolley up and down the aisles, hobbling and limping.

After stopping by the bread, Kevin huffed and wrapped a strong grip around Edd's waist, hoisting him up and startling him out of his wits.

"W-What on Earth! Kevin, what are you doing?!" Edd demanded, grappling for balance.

"You're foot's ain't gonna get better if you keep walking on it, Edd. In ya go." And with little more, Kevin dumped Eddward into the trolley neatly next to the loaf of bread.

Gapping, Eddward searched for words as he blushed and pouted as Kevin began pushing the trolley, reading the list and dumping boxes of whole wheat salt-less crackers and bottled sugar-free fruit juice into the basket, leaving Eddward to hurry to sort them into manageable places.

"Kevin, I implore you, let me out of here, it's so embarrassing!" Eddward pulled at his cap, covering his eyes and flushing darker. "Children ride in the trolleys!"

"And so do people with hurt feet."

"It's not even my foot that that is hurt!"

"Whatever." Kevin turned his attention between two tomatoes. "Hey, how do you tell if these are ripe or not?" He squeezed one and Eddward gasped.

"Don't do that, Kevin! You're compromising the fruit!" Eddward grabbed for the tomato and held it delicately. "Tomatoes bruise easily! You have to be gentle!"

Kevin laughed. "Dude, you're so crazy." He bagged a dozen tomatoes and held them out to Edd so he could freak over them.

Reading down the list again, Kevin squinted his eyes and raised a brow. "What's almond milk?"

"I hardly see any need for an explanation, Kevin. Almond milk is milk made from the almond nut. You can find it down the organics aisle."

Kevin groaned. "You're such a dork," he muttered, leaning over the handle and placing a peck on Edd's nose. The hat-clad boy flushed again.

The red-head pushed the trolley towards the organics aisle. He rushed forward and stepped up onto the under-basket, letting the momentum carry them a few feet. Eddward grabbed onto the sides and yelped. "W-What are you doing?!"

"Relax, dork. It's nothing wrong. I do it all the time." And to enunciate, he rushed forward once more and stepped back onto the under-basket.

"D-Don't do that! You could tip the trolley and I would fall out and everything would scatter and there would be a big mess."

"Calm down, dork," Kevin said again. "Nothing bad is gonna happen." He picked up a carton of almond milk and rushed off once again towards the butcher counter.

"Hey, I though you didn't eat meat," he said with a sly smirk. "You know, other tha—"

"Enough!"

Kevin snickered.

"And for your information, Father is quite fond of steak dinners," Edd said with his nose turned away. He scooted around so that he now looked forward as the trolley moved. "Even if I utterly detest the thought of having raw meat in the house." Kevin smirked. The meat was placed in the under-basket, furthest away from Edd who refused to touch it.

Kevin raced down a few more aisles and once had a near miss, almost side-swiping an old man in a motor-buggy, causing Eddward to yelp and hold on for dear life as the basket tipped as Kevin turned too fast.

"I swear, Kevin!"

Kevin mock-gasped. "The Eddward Vincent? Swearing?"

"Oh, you! This is the last time I ever take you shopping with me!"

"You didn't take me, I came of my own will."

"Well then, I henceforth ban you from accompanying me on my grocery journeys."

"Henceforth? Hey! You can't ban me!"

"Oh, I think I can!"

"Oh? And how so?"

"I can withhold certain activities," Edd said with a glare and he turned around in the cart, sorting the cans of fruit and vegetables.


	81. His Mary Jane Watson

Eddward stood at exactly four feet and five inches. He was nearly two whole feet under the average height for men and definitely shorter than most of the ladies he came across.

Good Lord, even Jimmy was taller than him by now! For Jiminy's sakes, Ed had taken to carrying him on his shoulders like a child! Loveable oaf he was, it was terribly embarrassing! Even Eddy, the so-called pipsqueak of the cul-de-sac, was now taller and liked nothing more than to flaunt it in Edd's face with poorly thought out jokes.

He'd once been nearly as tall as Ed, if you could believe it. But they had been children then, all rather short and stubby, but as soon as high school had started, the cul-de-sac children seemed to just shoot up, leaving poor Double D to be as short as Sarah and Jimmy, until they too betrayed him and grew taller.

Oh, now not only was he self-conscious about his hair, but now he was self-conscious about his height and that was not as easy to hide!

Not to mention, the bullies at school used not only his love for academics, but also his lack of height as bait and he'd been on more than one occasion literally stuffed into the half-sized lockers and forced to wait as the janitor clipped the lock, freeing him.

He was the shortest student in Peach Creek's senior graduating year of 2013, even shorter than the young miss who had skipped a couple grades to join them.

Now, of course, Eddward's height did not define him. He still loved school and all that it had to offer him and he loved perusing the library and admiring the trophy cases that held the medals of the academic clubs he'd helped pull through with a victory. He was just short. And he cursed that.

At this time, Eddward was organizing his books in his locker, alphabetizing them and sorting them by time-block when a shadow fell over him, frightening the wits out of him.

"Hey, babe," a suave voice said.

Eddward grabbed at his chest and frowned. "I implore you don't do that, Kevin. You know I don't take surprises well."

"Aww, but it's damn cute when you jump, like a rabbit or something." Kevin said with a smirk as he knelt down next to Eddward and ruffled the hat atop his head.

Eddward frowned. "Please stop that." He finished organizing his locker and stood up. He was not much taller than Kevin as he was crouched down near the floor. "Now, if you don't mind, I have studying to do and I was hoping to make it to the coffee shop before they close." He began trotting off, ignoring the muffled snickering Kevin was trying poorly to hide.

Kevin stood back up, all six feet and eight inches of him. He towered over Edd as they walked down the hall, looking more like a child and parent than boyfriends. Nazz had said something similar to that to him once and he'd been planning the perfect moment to use the daddy-card with Edd. He smirked, Edd all hot and bothered, breathing for "Daddy" to help him with his problems.

Shaking his head of the thoughts before he did anything rash the red-headed basketball player reached down for Edd's hand, taking it with a firm grip that the genius had no strength to wriggle out of. He knew Eddward hated holding hands; it made him seem even more childish when he had to keep his arm held up like a young child would, but Kevin liked to let the public know that this dork was off the market. (That and he'd had his ear chewed off more than once when he tried to put Edd on his shoulders.)

At the shop, Eddward ordered a pumpkin spice latte and warmed his hands around the Styrofoam cup with a smile. Kevin did the same with a black coffee and loads of sugar. The two sat at one of the small tables and Eddward pulled out one of his texts and a folder to start up some homework.

"Not here, Edd," Kevin whined as he hid behind a hand. "People will see."

"I hardly see what is so unattractive about doing work, Kevin," Eddward tutted as he began working on solving a few Chemistry equations. Kevin groaned and rolled his eyes as he sipped his overly-sweet coffee.

Once the drinks were gone, the two headed on their way to the cul-de-sac and home.

"So, I was thinking," Kevin said as they walked along the sidewalk. Eddward laughed behind a hand and the red-head gave him a look. "Anyways, I was thinking you could come with me and my dad when we go to the Big Apple. We're visiting my granddad and all, but I thought you would like to see New York."

Eddward started. "N-New York? Kevin, that's the complete opposite side of the continent!"

Kevin shrugged. "Well, I said I was just thinking. You don't have to, I was just, you know…" He shrugged again.

"But wouldn't I be intruding at all? From what I know, you hardly ever see your grandparents. Would it be fair for you for me to tag along just for the sake of site-seeing?"

"Hell no, it wouldn't not be fair! Er, I mean, yeah, it'd be fine if you came. I already asked Dad and he was fine with it."

"Well, I don't know, I'll have to think on it, but it is a very lovely offer nonetheless."

Kevin smiled brightly. "Good. But you have to promise one thing if you come."

"Oh? And what's that?"

"You have to ride on my shoulders when we're walking around New York."

Eddward pouted but gave in to Kevin, if only to avoid a long-winded list of pleading on the athlete's part.

"Could I know when this little trip would be occurring?" Edd asked as they came up to the corner leading into the cul-de-sac.

"Right after graduation. It's sorta my graduating gift from Dad. Tickets are not a problem if you decide to go. He said I could bring someone and, yeah."

"Well, it was very kind of you to think of me first." Eddward tugged the front of Kevin's shirt and the red-head leaned down so Eddward could kiss him. "Well, au revoir for now Kevin," he said, waving as he trotted up the driveway. "I'll get back to you on whether or not I'm able to go!"

Kevin smiled to himself, rocking his head to and fro as he waved back at Edd before crossing the street to his own home.

Kevin didn't have to wait long for Edd's answer. The very next day at school as the two walked to study hall, the short teenager accepted Kevin's offer. The red-head whooped loudly and didn't stop smiling until he was stuck in math class with quadratic equations staring up at him from his desk.

Now all he had left was the wait. Oh Lord, the wait.

For Eddward, the wait didn't take very long. He went about his school days as normal, learning all he could and feeling a little empty when the last bell rung the day of their graduation.

At home, he and Kevin dressed in slacks and button-up shirts to go under their peach graduation robes; black dress shoes peeked out from underneath. Both sets of parents demanded pictures and the two teenagers underwent a thorough photo-session before the two families piled into their cars to drive to the graduation site.

Peach Creek was a tiny town so the graduating class was small as well. After the staff had given their speeches that never really changed as the years passed and Eddward had given his own carefully thought out speech to his class, the wait to walk didn't take very long. Eddward was first, of course. The cul-de-sac children graduating with him cheered from their seats, giving him a loud sendoff as he shook hands with the principal and superintendant. When he posed for a picture with the two men, they both had to crouch a little so the photo wouldn't seem disproportional.

Names kept being called, one after the other and Edd cheered for Ed and Eddy and the other graduators and soon Kevin was being called and Eddward made an effort to be extra loud.

Hats were tossed in the air, flying everywhere, as the graduators cried out happily after crossing their tassels to the left.

Eddward and Kevin met up in the large crowd and struggled to find their friends and family. Ed and Eddy met up with them along the way, big-Ed crying about how they were all grown up, wrapping the two other Eds into an enormous, crushing hug.

The Vincents and the Barrs were off to the far left of the arena patio, away from the majority of the crowd and their sons found them a while later. More pictures were taken and gifts were exchanged. The two families went out to a restaurant and the night was pretty swell, if Eddward had anything to say about it.

The flight to New York was tedious. Eddward had never been on a plane and though he was excited to visit the major city, the thought of being stuck in a mass transportation vehicle that circulated recycled air did not sit well with him.

He tugged his luggage behind him, as did Kevin and Mr. Barr, and trotted along the two towering gingers. The airport was a fascinating place. People of all ethnicities were mingled together and Eddward found it a humble experience.

Having to remove his feet at security didn't sit well with him either. He insisted placing plastic bags over his socks, ignoring Kevin's pleas that he would look stupid. He would look stupid, alright, as soon as he caught a disease from whatever the floor held. He walked the few feet in the baggies and then quickly placed his shoes back on, ignoring Mr. Barr's chuckles and Kevin's groans.

Mr. Barr had been able to purchase seats right next to each other so the small group did not have to worry about splitting up, much to Eddward's relief. He stuck to Kevin's side through most of the venture through the airport and squeezed in between Mr. Barr and Kevin on the plane. Only just before the plane was to take off did he reveal that he was apprehensive about the flight and Kevin patted his shoulder, wrapping an arm around him and searched in Edd's carry on for his Lorazepam. The rest of the seven hour flight.

The giant Miss Liberty statue could be seen as the plane circled the city before landing on the airstrip. Her torch and books and crown and even face were a sight to behold and Eddward hurried to take pictures for his mother.

The New York airport, despite it being very late in the night, was full of movement and the buzz of distant chatter. There were possibly even more people this time.

A cab took the group to their hotel and by the time they were at the check-in, Eddward was leaning heavily on Kevin. The ride up the elevator was quiet, soft muzak playing from the small speakers at the top.

"Alright, boys," Mr. Barr said with a slightly stern face. "I'd like to think I can trust you not to mess around when I give you your own bed." Kevin groaned and Eddward muttered something as he yawned for the hundredth time.

"Alright, alright." Mr. Barr chuckled and headed for the bathroom for a long hot shower after spending the day traveling.

Kevin led Eddward to one of the beds and the short ravenette collapsed into it, sighing softly. "Don't forget out deal, Edd," Kevin whispered into his ear as he tugged the genius's hat off and handing it off Edd's luggage handle. "Get ready to be really tall tomorrow." He kissed the top of his head and then tugged Edd's shoes for him and then went to get ready for bed on his own.

The third day of their trip was reserved specifically for family so the next morning, the group would spend the day exploring the melting pot of a city.

Kevin woke first, a smug grin on his mug as he waited for Edd to wake.

The three ate breakfast in their room and then went over plans and deciding on times to check in on each other, then Kevin dragged Eddward out the door with a backwards wave to his father.

"Finally!" Kevin exclaimed as he and Edd stood in the elevator as it rode them down to the ground floor. "Now, are we gonna do this the easy way or the hard way? I've been waiting too long for this, you know."

Eddward gave an exasperated sigh. "I really thought you had forgotten that silly idea. Really, we'll look ridiculous. And besides, if I were to ride on your shoulders, I could easily hit hanging signs or we could topple over since you would not be used to the extra top weight."

"I think I'm hearing the hard way," Kevin chimed in with a haughty grin down at Eddward who crossed his arms.

"If anyone stares at us, then I demand to be put down immediately," he compromised. "I mean it, Kevin. If I say put me down, do it."

Kevin chuckled, holding the elevator door open and once they had left the front doors, he swept Edd into his arms and hefted him easily onto his shoulders. Eddward startled, not expecting the suddenly grabbing and yelped as Kevin picked him up around the waist. Eddward grappled and held onto Kevin's hair tightly, clenching his thighs around the ginger's neck.

"T-Too tight, Edd," Kevin choked out, prying at his legs. Edd complied and soon the two were off down the sidewalk, breathing issues out of the way.

Eddward didn't hold Kevin's hair so tightly after they had gone a few block and he was assured they wouldn't fall over any second. Instead, he rested his crossed arms on the top of his head.

"Where do you wanna go first, Edd?"

"I guess we could window shop? I don't know what's here so…"

"Well, they have a little of everything."

"Of course, I just meant I've never been so I don't know what to expect."

"It's a lot bigger that what you expect."

"Yes, especially when you've lived in such a tiny town your whole life."

The two ended up in a park. It was small and quiet and unexpected in the middle of the city. Kevin walked down the cobbled paths, Edd still on his shoulders, as they watched the pond and the squirrels.

Edd tapped Kevin's head.

"Hmm?"

"Look up."

"What for?" he asked as he leaned his head up as high as he could without tipping over. He was met with the smiling face of Eddward looking back down at him. Then, Eddward was leaning down and planting an upside-down kiss on him.

When he leaned back up, pecking his nose for good measure, the red-head kept his head tipped back and smiled dumbly. "What was that for?"

"For being such a lovely person."

"Well, then I think I deserve another. For being a kick-ass boyfriend too."


	82. Dark Ages

In textbooks, hundreds of years from now, this time would be known as nothing more than the Dark Ages. Not to be confused with the first superstitious, ignorant years that followed the fall of the Roman Empire, the second Dark Ages was a time that humanity began a new arc in evolution after a terrible gamma-radiation overdose that left millions dead and others changing into something not unlike their original selves.

To be honest, no-body knew what was happening at first when hundreds and thousands of people began dying. Young, healthy humans began dropping dead with little evidence as to why they were dead in the first place.

Once the death-toll hit one million, people around the world began frenzying. No-one was safe. Victims came from third-world countries to monopolized civilizations. Race, gender, religion, nothing mattered.

Scientists and doctors were stumped until one man came up with the idea of a solar flare and the news media ate it up, reporting anything they could scrounge together for the hungry people who sat in their homes, praying they wouldn't be the next to die.

The solar flare, it turned out, was actually gamma-rays coming from an unknown source somewhere around the vicinity of Betelgeuse.

By the time the astrophysicists had been able to determine that, the world, its beings were already dying or changing.

The change, as terrifying as it was to the ignorant people of Earth, was almost entirely unnoticeable. People feared mutation in its most hideous of forms, but the radiation was not changing their features, but their biological make-up.

Human beings were beginning to evolve in a strange sort of way.

Many aspects common to other animals, cats, wolves, dogs, were beginning to show up in humans. Men were beginning to experience the same 'knot' as dog would have when having sexual relations. Women started losing their normal menstrual cycles and began having 'heats'.

As time wore on, some men began having these heat cycles and a similar number of women were being born with phallus's that retracted into their body when not sexually active. Then the first male birth was recorded.

In all the death and mutation, a simple birth was able to shake up the communities still left, distracting them for a short time.

More male births began being recorded, though there weren't many to speak of.

As testing and research went on, it was found the phallus of the women that had no heat cycle or the long deceased menstrual cycle was actually just like the phallus of a male, capable of impregnating the men who experienced heats.

Then, nearly twenty years after the gamma-radiation began, it ended. Not a trace could be found, it simply vanishing as mysteriously as it had come, but the Earth was not to be called safe just yet. Though the radiation had gone and no residual traces could be found, the mutations had not been solely left for the humans. A variety of plants and animals had changed into dangerous predators some poisonous, some unusually aggressive, and some just murderous.

The world was at one of its lowest points in all its billions of years. Its inhabitants were changed and no-one was safe now.

And that's how we find our two protagonists, curled inside of a hollowed tree-trunk, hiding from overly-aggressive mutations of wild dogs and reptiles.

Communities had broken down as the death toll climbed into the billions. Families stuck together and did not venture far. Thieving had become a common occurrence, bands of men and women killing each other for the last of the supplies that were still deemed safe in their rapidly changing world.

As the smaller of the two slept in their little hide-away, the larger stroked along their hair and stomach, hesitating on the growing lump there.

The next morning, when the coast was clear, the two climbed out of the large trunk and began their trek to the next city, on their way to find a more suitable place to call home. So far, every where they'd been, danger was not too far away.

"We need to be quick today, Edd. The map says there's a large city coming up and I don't want to be their long, not after the last time."

"Can we not just go around it, Kevin? I'm sure there are smaller farm towns close-by, judging by the wired-fences. There may be crops growing that were not affected in the radiation. We could use the fresh produce." Eddward glanced at the map in Kevin's hands, a worried look on his face.

"If you want, but it will take longer," Kevin explained, tracing his finger along the roads and looking for any detours. "But if I see anything suspicious, we're going a different way, end of story."

Eddward nodded. "I just hope that our mission will be fruitful. The extra food will come in handy as I fear my vitamin-levels will begin to fluctuate erratically soon if I don't eat something not from a can." He spoke with his hand hovering over his stomach, worrying over the tiny life trying to grow inside of him.

"But if it's too dangerous, we will just have to wait a little longer," Kevin said firmly. "If we can't keep up this allusiveness, then we're screwed."

Eddward nodded quietly again.

The day progressed slowly as the two dragged on through the wooded area next to the paved road. They were a bit of a distance away from the marked road, but still able to tell where it twisted and curved. It wasn't wise to walk marked roads these days, but it they were helpful as they followed the map to what Edd hoped was a farming community.

Cattle greeted them at the end of the small woods. The gentle dairy cows mooed and a small calf wobbled over to Edd who cooed, but hesitated petting the baby, fearing germs and ticks and other unsightly things.

Kevin led them through the pasture, through the herd of cattle, and toward what looked like corn rows. As the large green stalks got closer and closer, lo-and-behold, corn was exactly what it was. Eddward almost started crying as he and Kevin began quickly pulling ears off and stuffing them in every bag they had; Kevin even stuffed a few in his pockets and through his belt.

The two didn't stay long and munched on a few ears as they walked toward their next destination, the next farm over that they hoped was just a bountiful.

A herd of cattle greeted them as well, slight curiosity holding them as they grazed on the grassy pastures. This farm had corn as well, and the two left feeling a bit put-out.

The day wrapped up quickly and Kevin was hurrying to find a suitable shelter for the night. Sleeping in the open wasn't safe and was only going to be a last-resort.

Eventually he found an old tree-house with a rickety set of old steps nailed into the trunk. Kevin helped Eddward climb in and then he went about securing the hole in the floor that was the exit. That night, the two ate a few more ears of corn and slept peacefully.

When Edd woke up the next morning, Kevin was going over the map again. Beside him, a list of items has obviously been worked on; things crossed out and added that hadn't the day before.

"Have some more corn, Edd," Kevin mumbled, waving to one of the bags. "We're gonna leave in a while. There's a river and we can bathe if you want."

"Don't you think it's getting a tad bit cold for bathing in the river?" Edd asked as he shucked the corn cob.

"Nah. It'll be fine as long as we dry off and bundle up after. But, I know you must be dying for a bath, so I was just wondering."

"Thank you, Kevin."

The river, turned out, was more like a creek, and barely even that. The tiny trickle of water that struggled to flow down a path once paved by larger water was disheartening. Eddward frowned at it as they walked along downstream towards the next town, past the city.

Days and weeks and months went by. Food was scarce and Edd's stomach grew, causing more and more problems in their travels. Kevin was worrying as the days went on for the time the baby would come. A crying infant would only lead to trouble. But if they could make it to the coast and Kevin had everything he needed from his list, he was pretty sure they could have a fighting chance.

Speaking of which: "We're gonna need to find a hardware store," Kevin informed Edd as they continued on their trek.

"Whatever for?" Eddward asked from beside the red-headed young man.

"I need a hammer and some other things. Nothing big, just a couple supplies."

"Will it be safe to venture into such a store? I'm sure hardware supplies are on the low as of late." He suddenly stopped and bent over, grasping Kevin's arm and heaved heavily, spitting up some of the food they'd eaten last night. "Oh dear. I'm sorry." Edd wiped at his mouth and crouched down, wrapping arms around his stomach.

Kevin dropped down too, resting a hand on Edd's shoulders. "Are you alright? I thought we were past morning sickness," he said worriedly.

"I-I'm not sure," Edd said as he switched between panting and taking deep breaths. "I don't know much on this type of pregnancy," he admitted. "But, when mother was pregnant with me, she told me that she would get sick from time to time. Nothing to worry about."

Kevin heaved a thankful sigh. "Well, are you alright to walk some more? We really shouldn't be out in the open like this."

He helped heave Eddward back up, the ravenette grasping his lower back as he panted again. Eddward's thin physique, almost malnourished due to the conditions he and Kevin had been living in for the past few months, made his swollen stomach jut out and look awkward on his gangly body.

"Oh dear," he moaned quietly, a pained look screwed on his face. "M-My back seems out of sorts today."

Kevin got Edd to lean on him and the two hobbled away into the woods, looking for a place to hunker down until morning. They found another large trunk to sleep in and Kevin nested Eddward inside with their blanket and a couple giant leaves, giving him some canned fruit to suck on while Kevin started up a small fire to warm up a can of beans for dinner.

"If I've been counting days correctly," Eddward spoke up as Kevin tended to the kindling, puffing air to start the fire. "I should give birth in no less than two months." Kevin sat up and looked at him.

"Are you sure?" Edd nodded. "That's too soon. We have to get across the water to the island! And find food and make sure our home is safe. The baby won't survive if we don't get to the island."

"Don't say things like that, Kevin," Eddward admonished sternly. "How do you even know that your island plan will work out? How do you know that the island is deserted? What if many others have thought the same? We could be heading right to a trap and then we all will be dead!"

"Hey! I don't see you coming up with any ideas!"

"Only because you are so caught up in your own that you don't accept any others!"

"My plan will work," Kevin said with finality. He turned back around to the fire, opening the can of beans and heating it up. When it was warmed he ate his fill and gave the rest to Edd, still not looking or speaking to him.

The couple, for the next month, was on thin ice around each other. Eddward would glance at Kevin, wondering if what he said would set the red-head off into a rant, winding himself and upsetting Eddward, leaving him to wallow in his own pity, only to do the same thing an hour later.

Kevin had his hammer and his box of nails and other carpentry items. The map and compass were in his hand and around his neck, wearing from the use Kevin was putting them through. Overhead a seagull flew, telling them that the coast wasn't far off. The map Kevin read said the same.

Once they got to the water, all they needed was a boat and then they were home-free!

Eddward was resting again as Kevin read over the map and went over their supplies for the hundredth time that day. The final steps of his pregnancy were taking their toll on Eddward and he was not able to walk very far before needing another rest.

"Kevin?"

Kevin didn't answer, tracing his finger over multiple routes to different boat houses and harbors.

"Kevin?"

Again he didn't answer, not really even paying attention.

"I don't feel so good." And with that, Eddward was out cold, slumping over and dropping their last fruit tin, spilling the peaches and orange slices all over himself.

Kevin jumped up, fretting over him, patting and shaking, repeating his name. "Edd, Edd wake up! Argh." The red-head shook his hands off the wet they'd pressed on. Edd's entire bottom half was soaked. But, didn't that mean—?

"Edd, Edd, c'mon! I'm sorry! Wake up!" He started tugging at Eddward's pants, unbuttoning them and pulling them off as he shook the unconscious young man. "No, no, no, no."

"W-What…?"

"Edd, Edd, you're all wet, your water—I think the baby's coming!"

"What! Oh Lord!" Eddward felt around himself, touching his stomach and wincing at the wetness. "But, Mother said she had contractions. I-I don't feel anything! Kevin!"

"J-Just hold on, Edd," Kevin said hurriedly as he bundled the blanket up and put it behind Eddward's back. "Uh, just lay down and uh, hold my hand and… God, I don't know!"

Eddward began panting frantically. "O-Oh! Th-There's a contraction!" He jumped and winced. "Oh dear!"

"Take deep breaths," Kevin ordered, petting Eddward's hand. "Deep breaths and uh… God damnit! What do we do?"

"I-I'm not very –arg – well versed in birthing processes, Kevin," Edd bit out. He panted some more, alternating between that and deep breathing with Kevin.

"W-Well, when your contractions get worse, tell me," he said, not moving from Edd's side.

The contractions Eddward experienced began coming closer together as the hours dragged on. He would moan when they came, gripping Kevin's hand tight and increase his deep breathing.

"Oh Lord, please let this be over soon," he moaned as another contraction ran its course. "Kevin!"

"Shh, shh, babe. I bet it's almost over."

"Do you see a child?" Edd bit out, squeezing Kevin's hand tightly and glaring at him. "It's not almost over!

"Oh! Ngh!"

"Edd? What's wrong? What are you doing?"

"P-Pushing!" Eddward cried as he tightened his abdomen and pushed. "Oh, Lord! D-Do you see anything? I-I believe the head should come first." He clenched his teeth and pushed again. "Look!"

Kevin tugged his hand from Edd's grip and crawled towards Edd's bottom half, slightly terrified at what may be happening.

"Uh, I, uh, I see—I think it's the head? Maybe?"

"Good. W-When it gets further along, hold underneath it, but don't, for the love of God, tug," ordered Edd.

"Right. Uh…" Kevin maneuvered so he was sat in front of Edd, watching the tiny head push out of his mother's body.

A whole head of bright red hair popped out, showing Kevin that his first child had his hair. Edd pushed more and the baby soon slipped out and Kevin held the baby, more than slightly grossed out by the umbilical cord. He bundled the baby in one of his shirts and handed him over to Edd, using his pair of shears to cut the cord before doing so, par Edd's instructions. Twenty minutes later, Edd birthed a placenta, something Kevin thought came right out of a horror movie. He shuddered and thanked every god that existed that that hadn't come out of him.

Edd held the baby in his arms, cooing softly, panting and smiling. "He's so handsome," he said breathlessly. Edd's hands shook lightly. He offered Kevin the baby and moments later, he was out again.

"God damnit! Edd!" Kevin shook his shoulders roughly and slapped his cheeks gently. "C'mon, Edd. Wake up!"

"Mmm."

"Wake up, Edd. Look at your baby. Wake up!"

Eddward struggled to open his eyes and watch the two ginger heads. "S-Sorry," he mumbled. "But I don't feel so well."

"You can rest, just don't pass out like that, Edd. It scares me."

"Can't help it."

The little baby cried as his parents talked, or more, Kevin talked and tried to keep Edd awake for a while more. He let Eddward hold the baby, holding his arms underneath in case Eddward fainted again.

They would name him later, Kevin decided. Neither had really thought of what to call their baby. One, they had no idea what they had been having, and two, there were more important things than daydreaming over baby names as they trekked the dangerous ruins of their once civilized life.

Kevin tucked the baby in the trunk next to Edd, wrapping their blanket around the two and nesting a few of the large leaves over that. Kevin picked up the placenta with another leaf, gagging, and hiding it far away from them so if anything smelled the blood, they may be swayed to that and not them.

The red-head went over his list and plan once more, looking over his supplies and for the first time, questioning whether it would work and the island they would eventually wash up on was safe for their baby and Eddward. What if it wasn't? What if there were people there who were hostile to outsiders? Would they even make it to the island?


	83. What could have been and what is

Edd could have gone to college. He could have gone to school and learned and become something, damnit! But he hadn't and now he was stuck here with Kevin in this no-where town with a dead-end job, a tiny apartment and enough money to just scrape by.

Edd could have been someone! He could have made some break in the science community and been published in journals and given speeches at conventions and probably won a Nobel Prize, but no, he stayed with Kevin and now he worked at the book store and dealt with snotty teenagers who didn't understand that no, he couldn't legally sell them Playboy because they were underage and no, he was not going to turn a blind eye and if they thought he was a prude and a bastard, then so be it.

Edd could have found someone better. He was too good for Kevin; too smart; too nice; too patient; too loving. But no, he was stuck at Kevin's side, known in the tiny town as the red-head's arm candy, the young man who made a perfect housewife.

Edd could have done so much more if he hadn't been so stubborn. He didn't have to stay with Kevin, he hadn't been forced. He had his free-will and he could have escaped this dusty life to go explore the world, discovering exciting things in all corners of the globe, but he hadn't and he lived in this tiny town doing the same thing every day, sunrise to sunset. Nothing exciting happened here, unless you count that one time old Miss Goethe's poodle had been mauled by a coyote. But that was old news and Miss Goethe already had a new dog and never talked about Poochie anymore.

When Kevin got home from his job at the local garage, covered in motor oil, smelling of sweat and fuel, and found Eddward curled on the couch, empty tea mug and book laying on the coffee table, he couldn't help but feel in the deepest part of his gut this horrible guilt that Edd could have been so much more than his boyfriend, the guy who made pasta every Friday and sent the Church group a pie every Sunday, or that one young man who was good at suggesting a good read.

How could Edd be so happy when he knew that he could be so much more? Something better? Kevin thought Edd was a stronger man than him for not ever getting up and leaving. If Kevin had the chance to be something, he probably would have taken it and not looked back, everyone else be damned.

But Edd was better than that. He had a heart and a conscious. Even if something made him hurt on the inside, he would smile for everyone else and not let them worry over him. His damn kindness and courtesy wouldn't let him be so selfish as to just pack up and leave without a trace.

Kevin would lay a blanket on Edd as he was curled on the couch, kissing his temple and go to the fridge to sift through take-out boxes for something edible. Not long after, though, Edd would stumble in, rubbing his eyes and offering to cook something. Kevin would decline and heat up some questionable Chinese and send Edd to the bedroom if he was so tired.

When he stumbled in the bed himself, Edd would curl up to him, kissing his cheek or nose or lips and run his hands softly through his hair and down his sides. He would hum and sometimes they made love and sometimes they would just sleep, but they would always ensure one another that they were loved.

On Saturdays, when both Kevin and Edd had the day off, Edd would throw things into the slow cooker and the two would lay around the house, catching up on sleep or work or stay in bed until the sun was down.

Edd didn't talk about school much. He took a few classes online from the community college, just a few each semester because they couldn't afford much and Eddward didn't feel much like accepting scholarships or grants for such a small schedule.

Kevin knew he loved the classes, working on them any time he could. They couldn't be so challenging for Eddward. He was a certified genius (or so says Kevin) and definitely the smartest person he'd ever met. A couple associate courses couldn't be that complicated and definitely not for Eddward.

Kevin had once told Eddward if he ever wanted to leave, he could with no questions asked. He'd sat the ravenette down at the table as they ate dinner, something Edd had whipped up quick, and told him so seriously. Eddward frowned and shook his head, declining the offer and told Kevin he could never leave, not unless Kevin came with.

Kevin couldn't come with. The whole reason Edd was stuck was because of him. If Edd was to leave, he would have to go alone or else he would just be dragged down again. If Edd left, he would go for all or nothing and Kevin would make sure he had a short-cut for the all.


	84. Dolls watching Dolls

"Edd, I think I'm in love."

"What?"

"I-I may have to leave you."

"What?!"

"For Derek. He's so… He's so, ungh."

"What!"

"Just look at him!"

"I am looking, but I am most certainly not seeing! How on this green Earth could you not see that Reid is obviously the more attractive of the two?"

"No way. Derek has this body that only he could pull off." Kevin moaned again, laughing as Edd puffed his cheeks, glancing back at the television screen.

"Reid has much more than physical attraction. He's educated and something to be very much admired," he sniffed.

"Not when you look like that." Kevin motioned to Derek who was chasing after an unsub with a mask, running into the woods and going in for the tackle. Kevin groaned again, cackling when Edd ruffled in his seat.

"Be that as it may, Reid is by far the most attractive of this specific FBI task force. I for one cannot understand how he is not run down with anonymous messages of love."

"Please, Derek wouldn't let him be so bothered by useless letters."

"At least we can agree on something." Eddward settled back into his seat in the crook of Kevin's arm that was along the back of the couch.

The red-head laughed as the episode ended. "God, though. You would make a good Reid."

"How so?"

"Well, you're both smart."

"And he is also acutely mentally jaded. I like to think my mind is of sound functioning."

"There's that, I guess. But you both have kinda longish hair. I dunno, I just think you two are similar."

"Well, with that thinking, I would say Derek is somewhat like you, Kevin. You're both athletic and you both are very smart as well."

"Only thing different is we got together. Derek doesn't have the balls to ask Reid out." Eddward gave him a warning look for his language.

The next episode was well into its plot and the two watched without really following the story. Kevin held Edd to his side and Eddward leaned his head on Kevin's shoulder, giggling at a line or two every now and again.

"Kevin?"

"Yeah?"

"I think, well, if it's not too much trouble or too awkward… Um, could we maybe, only if you want to of course!"

"What, dork?"

"I think I would like to do something different tonight."

"Tonight? As in…"

"I believe it is called role-play," Edd said with a dark blush, not looking away from the screen where Hotch was debriefing the team.

Oh. Oh. Oh!

"Oh?"

"M-Maybe… I would like to make our 'ship' as you call it, a little more interesting."

Kevin smiled to himself. "If ya want. You're gonna have to act, you know that right, Edd? Talking and all that."

"I-I know." Eddward nodded. "M-Maybe this could also help me become less timid as well?"

"Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves. I like your timid self in bed. It's adorable as fuck."

"Kevin."

"Adorable as duck."

"That's fine, I guess."

"I hope Reid's ready," the red-head said quietly as he turned the volume on the television up. "Because Derek is."


	85. Jib De Lerou

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I made up Jib's last name as a head-canon of mine. (Does anyone even remember Jib?)

Jim liked going to Uncle Ed's house. When Daddy and Papa took him over for playtime, he got to see his bestest cousin ever. And not only because he was his only cousin. Jim liked Jib. He wasn't like Plank who was quiet and did whatever Jim told him to. Jib liked to be loud and rough and get dirty and he didn't handle Jim like he was a baby even though Jib was a whole two years older than him.

Jib came up with the best games ever and Jim liked to play them because he could make up rules with Jib. They would climb the trees and mess with the fish in Uncle Ed's pond and twirl in the swivel chairs until they were ready to puke. Jim loved playing with Jib.

Daddy and Papa didn't like it when Jim came home with bruises after spending the day playing with Jib. Jib was rough and too rowdy with their child, but they couldn't say that to Edd. Besides, Jim loved playing with his cousin and from what they'd seen Jib had never meant to hurt his little cousin. He was just a boy who liked to get dirty just as much as their own son.

Daddy always told Jim to make sure not to scuff his shoes or rip his shorts or get caught on a branch by his sweater. Daddy always worried when he played with Jib. Papa pat his shoulder and told him to not push it too hard or get scraped up too bad. Jim liked it when Papa said that.

Plank didn't really like Jib. Of course, he would never say that out loud when Jim was around. He liked Jim too much to risk upsetting his little friend by saying something mean about his cousin.

But Jib, to Plank, took advantage of Jim. He was older and Jim did everything he said, even if he didn't realize it. Even when Jim's Daddy told him to be careful, as soon as Jib had him, the two would throw all abandon to the wind.

And when Jim played with Plank and he saw the bruises on his arms or the scrapes on his knees, he couldn't help but feel a little angry that Jib was so rough with his friend. Jim was special and apparently Jib just didn't realize that.


	86. First Snow

Ellowyn tugged on her tights underneath her ankle-length skirt. The weather was beginning to cool down and her bare legs would get too cold too quickly if she didn't. Over her button-down, she pulled on an insulated jacket and then fuzzy earmuffs and her mittens. She made sure to pack a spare pair for Keagan who she knew would not be wearing any when they met on the sidewalk. Last to go on was a long purple scarf and Ellowyn was ready to head out the door.

Just like she'd known, Keagan was standing, shivering on the sidewalk, a light jacket her only protection from the cold. Ellowyn sighed and tossed the mittens at the red-head with a small smile.

"T-Th-Thanks, Elle," Keagan said through her chattering teeth.

"Honestly, Keagan," Ellowyn chided. "If you catch a cold, then I'm not taking care of you. It will be your own fault. Are Marvel and Nash here, yet?"

"Nash texted they'd be here in a few. They're probably getting one off in either of their houses."

Ellowyn swatted Keagan. "Don't be rude."

"Hey, dudes!"

Elle and Keagan turned around to see Nash with a raised hand and the other looped around Marvel's crossed arms, dragging him down the sidewalk. "Sorry we're late. We had stuff to do." He smiled mischievously and Marvel scoffed.

Elle was glad to note that the two boys were adequately dressed to face the incoming winter weather. Keagan really should follow their lead more often.

"I told you," the red-head whispered.

"Oh, Elle! You look totally cute!" Nash complimented. "Keag, though…" He pretended to shudder and the red-head hit his shoulder.

"Bastard," she muttered.

"Are we just going to stand out here or what? I'm freezing!" Marvel grumbled. He pulled his knit hat down over his ears and fixed it so that his blue bangs stuck out over his eyes. He stuffed his fingers in his armpits.

Keagan looped an arm similarly through Ellowyn's and the two couples began walking down the sidewalk, going the short distance from their suburban homes to the local high school.


	87. All Hallows

Kevin had only wanted to give Edd a good time. To take him to a fancy restaurant, maybe have a drink or two, soft music and low light, then they could go to the abandoned park and then Kevin would show Edd the little box he'd been hiding for the past week.

And everything had gone swell, really and truly perfectly until the park. They'd eaten a fancy-schmansy dinner and drank a bottle of red wine. Hands were not able to keep to themselves during the drive to the park and Kevin was just about ready to pop the question after he and Edd had had a hot and heavy make-out session when there was a loud knock on the window on the passenger's side.

Edd spooked, hitting his head on the ceiling and ribbing himself with the steering wheel. There was a second knock.

"What?" Kevin called out, cracking the window just a tiny bit.

There wasn't an answer.

"Who was that?" Edd whispered crawling off of Kevin and sitting squished to his side, not nearing the passenger door. Kevin double checked the locks.

"Probably some kid." The red-head leant over Edd to look out the window. "I think he's gone."

"C-Can we leave now?"

Kevin sighed. "Ya." But when he went to turn the key in the ignition he got nothing. The engine didn't even try. He cursed under his breath. "I'm gonna look under the hood real quick."

"Try one more time. Sometimes a car just needs time," Edd offered, holding a hand on Kevin's thigh. "I don't want you going out there."

"Okay, Edd. I think big-Ed's movies are getting to you. How about we lay off the monster movies for a while, huh?"

"No, really, Kevin. I have a bad feeling. Just try the ignition once more."

Kevin sighed and made a dramatic show of trying to turn the engine, but once again there was not even a rumbling.

"Okay, just lock the doors. I'll be fine." Kevin pulled the lever and popped the hood. He leant over to Edd and pecked his cheek. "Worry wart."

Edd puffed his cheeks. "Well, one of us has to."

Everything was still fine after that. Kevin looked under the hood. Everything looked in working order. Except for… Kevin scratched his head and leaned in closer. Was that tape over the—

The next thing Kevin knew, his head was being pushed forward and his forehead was smashed against the car parts and he slipped into the darkness.

When he came too, his head pounding and his eyes burning like a bitch, Kevin still couldn't see anything. It was dark, but he sure as hell knew he wasn't in his bed with Edd. Speaking off.

"Edd. Eddward."

"Hnn."

"Are you okay?"

"I-I don't know. Where are we?"

"Do you remember anything?"

"T-There was a man in a mask… He—I opened the door. I don't know why. I'm sorry!"

"I-It's fine, Edd. Can you move at all? You're not like, tied up or anything?"

"N-No."

"Good. Try scooting over towards me."

"Are you alright?"

"Yea, my head just stings a bit."

"What did he do to you?"

"He bashed my head forward on the car."

"I thought I heard a thump… I'm sorry, Kevin."

Kevin felt a cold, timid touch on his elbow and jumped a bit. "It's fine, Edd." He felt his hand around in the dark and wrapped it around Edd's waist, pulling him closer.

"I-I'm scared," Edd whispered.

"It's alright," he shushed. "It'll be alright."

They sat in the darkness for a long time. Neither had a watch and their phones were missing. Neither knew how long they'd been out. And they only finally were able to learn what the time of day was when a door creaked was loudly open and a shadowy figure loomed over them, stomping into the room and shutting the door once more, stealing the sunlight away.

"Are we hungry?" The man asked, tossing a package toward Kevin and Edd. He chuckled and flipped a light switch on. "You really shouldn't sit in the dark. It'll damage your eyesight."

The man was wearing a mask, Kevin could see after his eyes came to focus. It was a cliché black ski mask that he didn't even think people used outside of B-movies and the occasional Batman flick.

"Who are you," he asked with a strong voice.

"Oh, I don't think that matters much, now does it. I think a better question would be where am I? Or why am I here? Why did I choose you?

"Why, then?"

"Why not?"

Kevin growled and Edd held onto his elbow, pressing himself to his side.

"Now, we don't want to be scaring the angel, now would we? He looks much better with a smile on that doll-face."

"Shut up," Kevin demanded. "Don't you say a word about him."

"Or what? You'll beat me up? I think we already figured out who would get the upperhand."

"Because catching someone in a blitz attack is so hardcore!" Kevin scrambled to his feet, spreading them into a steady position and holding his fists at the ready.

"Now, I don't think fighting the man who's holding you captive is a very wise idea," the man taunted. "How do you know if I don't have an accomplice? I could have other men waiting upstairs to back me up should anything messy happen."

"Sit down, Kevin," Edd spoke up. His voice was hesitant and quiet and strained and Kevin felt his heart shudder. He had to protect Edd right now, not go off the handle like some animal.

"Listen to angel, Kevin," the man said. "He's the smart one."

Kevin growled again, but sat back down, keeping Edd behind him. He watched as the man exited the room and they heard a click and knew a lock was now set in place.

"Don't talk to him," Edd said softly. "When you communicate, that only leaves grounds for him to manipulate you. Just stay quiet when he's here." Edd ran a hand over Kevin's arms and got him to lie his head in his lap. "You're forehead's still bleeding."

"It's fine. It doesn't even hurt anymore."

Edd sighed and tugged his sweater off and pushed the sleeve to Kevin's head to staunch the bleeding so it could start to heal. Kevin mumbled and he soon found himself slipping back into the darkness.

Kevin woke to the sounds of Edd sobbing. It was muffled, but he could never ignore that sound. Edd wasn't a crier. It took a hell of a lot to make the dork cry.

"Edd?" He sounded sluggish even to his muddled brain and he knew he must have hit his head a little harder than he'd thought. "Edd baby?"

Edd hiccupped and whimpered. "I-I'm right here, Kevin," he said quietly.

Kevin lifted his head. The light was still on, but it was dim and he had to squint to make out the outline of his boyfriend. "What's wrong? Did he come back?"

Edd shook his head. "D-Don't worry about me. Y-Your head though… I think you may have a concussion. You shouldn't sleep. You could slip into a comatose state for an indefinite amount of time," Edd rambled off.

"He did touch you, didn't he," Kevin said, ignoring Edd's worries about himself. He swore loudly and Eddward made a noise between a sob and a choked moan.

"I'm so sorry."

"Don't be sorry, Edd," he growled. "But I'll make him sorry." He pulled himself to a crouched position and crawled like a baby towards the sounds of Edd's whimpering. "Don't think about it, Edd. It's done and it won't happen again. I'm here."

"You were still out and he came and I tried to fight him but I couldn't. H-He said that if I didn't stop he'd shoot you. He had a gun, Kevin. It was on his belt and I tried to get it, but he kept hitting me and then he—" Edd broke off with another sob. "I'm so sorry!"

"Shh, shh. It's alright, baby. You did good trying to fight him. That's all I could ask for. I'm sorry I couldn't help you."

"He said he'd be back soon. That was a while ago."

Kevin ran a hand through Edd's hair. It was getting oily so they must have been there in that room for at least a full twenty-four hours, if not a little longer.

"I-I want to go home," Edd whispered. "And lie in our bed and stay there."

"We will. We'll get out of this and we can stay in bed and eat take-out and watch those chick-flicks that you like."

"They should be missing us soon."

Kevin started. "Ya. Eddy'll be snooping around the house in no-time, if he hasn't already. And when he can't find us, he'll call the police and they'll start looking. They'll find the car and get fingerprints or something and they'll do some lab shit and they'll find us. We'll be out of here in no-time."

"That's very vague."

"It's something though."

The door opened once again hours later. Edd was sleeping with his head on Kevin's lap and Kevin was stroking his dirty hair. He glared up at the man who set down more energy bars and a couple bottles of water. The man left after that and didn't come back for a long time.

Edd lapped down the last drops of the water in the last bottle. They wet his tongue for a moment, but it didn't do any good as it still stuck to the roof of his mouth. The energy bars had only gone so far and they'd even gone and licked the wrappers for crumbs after the third day.

"I want to go home."

"I know, Edd," Kevin ground out. He was kneading his stomach to make the hunger pains go away for now. "But complaining is not gonna help."

Edd whined under his breath and wrapped his arms around his knees. He buried his head in the crook and sniffled quietly.

Kevin shook his head. He knew Edd was just scared. Hell, he was scared! And Edd's whimpering shouldn't have put him so on edge, but for some reason he just couldn't take another moan about being scared or afraid or he'd explode.

Kevin did the same as Edd and pulled his knees to his chest. And that's when he felt it.

The red head stuffed his hand into his front left pocket and pulled out the tiny, velvety box he'd meant to give to Edd almost a week ago on their date.

Well, now was as good a time as any.

"Edd."

"Hm?"

"Edd, scoot over here. I have something to show you."

Edd's head snapped up. "What? Did you—"

Kevin shook his head. "Nothing like that, but I have something to give you. Now come here."

Edd scrambled to his feet and hurried to Kevin's side. "What? What is it?"

"One our date. After dinner, in the park, I was gonna do something."

"What?"

"I-I was going to ask you to marry me." He held up the little box with the silver band up for Edd to see. "I-I was going to do the whole kneeling thing and hold your hand—But I think we could do with a little happy right now." He choked on a laugh, his eyes red and watery.

Edd smiled sadly. He snatched the box and slipped the band on. "Of course I'll marry you, you imbecile." Edd pressed sticky kisses to Kevin's face, lips, eyes. "I love you so much, Kevin. So much."

Kevin held onto Edd, rubbing his back and arms and twisting the band over Edd's finger. "I love you too, Edd."

The emaciated bodies of Eddward Vincent and Kevin Barr were found two miles apart from each other on December 14, 2013. Eddward's left ring finger was missing as well was Kevin's. On the plains of their stomach and chest, the words 'Leviticus' and 'In God's Hands' were etched with a knife of some kind post-mortem. Bruising around their necks as well as the broken collarbones on Eddward, suggested the kidnapper used strangulation as the cause of death.

Additional bruising on Kevin's arms and torso suggested he put up a hell of a fight before he was incapacitated. A crack on the back of Eddward's skull told the coroner that his death had been a blitz attack, maybe he'd been turned around or asleep at the time the attack began.

The bodies were identified by Kevin's parents and Eddward's friends. They were buried soon after next to each other in the Peach Creek local cemetery.

The unidentified subject was never found.


	88. Anxious

Edd was a smart duck. He had been since he was just a little tyke, still wobbling on his chubby legs and occasionally falling over and calling for his mother who he was starting to see less and less of.

But great intelligence does not ever come without a price.

Eddward's price was the inability to speak publically with comfortable ease.

Edd was a whiz at writing the best essays and creating poster boards and Power Points, but Heaven forbid he should have to present it in front of the class.

It was just a phase, his mother had told him. All children got shy at times. But for Eddward, it didn't pass. His shell in elementary grew thicker as he graduated into middle and then into high school.

He had no problems playing with or speaking his mind in the company of Ed or Eddy. They were his friends. They knew he was shy and they didn't mind. Eddy didn't even make fun and he was notorious for making fun of other kids at their expense.

The worst Eddy ever did was try to find some cockamamie way to get Edd over his anxiety. It never worked, of course. Their success rate was as high as their scams.

Either way, no matter how many essays or group discussions came his way, Eddward always powered through them after many weeks of worrying and the usual night-before when he'd hope against hope he would get sick and he'd get another day to prepare.

But then the day of the speech would arrive and Eddward would shrink in his seat until he either worked up the nerve to volunteer or the teacher called upon him and he would stand in front of the class, hoping he wouldn't stutter as much as the last time or screw up and forget everything he'd been studying for the past month.

Then, as he explained the first few sentences of whatever topic he'd been given, some students would snicker and comment aloud, interrupting him mid-speech, "That's the first time all year I've heard this kid talk." Then the others would giggle and Eddward would stutter and flush red and swallow the lump in his throat and his palms would get sweaty and his posture went rigid.

Sometimes, the teacher would snap her fingers at the first offender and on good days she would apologize for interrupting him herself and chide the class on bad manners.

The others didn't understand though. They always would make comments when he spoke up finally, finally in class after spending the whole first semester staying quiet. They didn't understand that Eddward was utterly frightened of speaking in front of his peers and their comments were hurtful and only served to make the next time he had to drag himself in front of them that much harder.

They didn't know that the days and weeks prior to the due-date, their teacher would work with him after class, trying her best to get him to be comfortable talking openly and freely. They didn't know that he had cried in front of their teacher after she tried an exercise that should have been all too easy, but Eddward's nerves were just shot to hell and he couldn't help but let the tears flow as he apologized for not being able to do it.

And they definitely didn't know that years from now, while they were all in college or working nine-to-fives, Eddward would remember that one student leaning over to his friend and making that one spur-of-the-moment comment about their shy classmate who'd never spoken aloud in class before then. That he would remember and still feel that niggling tug in his stomach as his cheeks burned red even though he had absolutely no reason to feel embarrassed.


	89. Peace Paraders

Kevin knew he had a keeper. Edd was a real special guy. He was absolutely the smartest person he'd ever met - probably as smart as that guy in the wheelchair. Edd was kind and caring. He always saw goodness in people even though Kevin thought some of them didn't deserve Edd's attention.

And now, Edd was working with the Peace Corps. Had been working with the Peace Corps for the past couple years. He went on grand adventures and saw places people didn't even know existed.

The one thing Kevin didn't like about Edd and the Peace Corps was the months and months of not being able to see Edd in person. Edd spent many months at a time in developing countries teaching the children their language, how to write and read and simple math. It was pretty heroic in Kevin's eyes, but the long stretches of time that he didn't get to spend with Edd really hurt.

This last mission, Edd was in some African village that Kevin couldn't pronounce. Edd was teaching the children how to read and write and he was helping the other volunteers bring food for the families living there. They were helping to establish crops in the area despite the sweltering heat and the arid weather and even develop a water system for clean drinking water.

Yeah, he got letters and they Skyped whenever Edd was in a large enough city, but he really just wanted to lay in bed with the one person he ever really loved. Kevin was sick of lonely nights and empty beds and cold pizza in the mornings because he still didn't know how to make food without burning it to a crisp without Edd's help.

Kevin was sitting on the couch, watching the news in between commercials for a football highlights show. Their cat (Edd's cat), Jim, was nestled on the back of the couch near his head and he could hear the feline purring loudly in his ear.

Today had been a long day. He'd burnt his tongue on the morning coffee while trying to get the mailbox open to check if any letters from Edd had arrived. Of course, none had, so he'd essentially harmed himself for nothing. Then on his way to work, he'd almost crashed because some bastard decided to both slow down and speed up at inopportune moments in traffic while using the on-ramp. Kevin had been late to the garage after that and he'd been chewed out by the boss man and then moments later, he'd spilt a ton of oil on himself and went around the rest of the day with a headache. When he'd finally gotten home, he'd found out he had a test for one of his online classes and he'd hurried to get a few minutes study-time in before breezing through the test knowing he'd get a C at best. Now, Kevin was sitting on the couch, numbing his brain to football statistics after a lovely meal of leftover Chinese.

His stomach gurgled unpleasantly, the MSG and sugars in his system were definitely going to be keeping him up tonight.

Suddenly, though, just as he was turning the channel back to the news as a commercial came on, his lap was full of someone and it defiantly was not Jim.

"E-Edd?!"

"Hello, Kevin!"

Edd was draped over his lap, having flung himself backwards onto the couch. He smiled slyly up at Kevin's astonished face. "I missed you."

Kevin hurried to remedy his reaction and bent over to plant a large and quite messy kiss to Edd's lips. "God, Edd," he said after a few moments of silence. "I missed the hell out of you."

Edd giggled and moved so he was sitting next to Kevin. Jim had jumped off the couch when Edd had fallen onto Kevin, but now he was back up and trying to nudge between them to get comfortable. "I missed you too, Kevin."

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming home? I would have, I dunno, done something."

"I wanted it to be a surprise. Besides, I think my entrance was pretty dramatic enough for us not to hold a party."

"Edd, I love you." Kevin kissed him again, pushing Jim away as the cat tried to be his nosey self. "And I've been thinking. Maybe I could apply to volunteer soon and maybe if I get accepted, we could try and go to the same place and help little kids and not be thousands of miles apart."

Edd smiled at Kevin's suggestion. "I think that's a wonderful idea. Kevin, you don't know what it feels like to actually be there helping the children learn! Oh, when they finally understand how to write or read, and their face lights up, it's the proudest I've ever felt."

Kevin wrapped himself around Edd and snuffled into the nape of his neck. "Just promise that next time you go, don't leave me behind."


	90. If Only He Knew

If he only knew what I did when he was gone. When he was visiting his friends or parents; off to work or browsing the shelves at his favourite bookstore, sipping a hot tea.

When Edd went to hang out with Ed and Eddy, Kevin knew he would be gone for hours. Eddy was a very demanding kind of guy: he had friends and he wanted them to pay attention to him. He was loud and assertive, everything Edd was not. Then there was Ed. Ed was simply and forward with his feels; more things Edd wasn't. They were three of a kind and together they made a full house.

Edd's guilty pleasures included a large mug of his tea of the day, a thick, dusty book, and a squashy chair that he could fit in and curl up and eventually fall asleep in. At his favourite bookstore, Edd could buy a large, steamy, frothy tea, climb the stairs to the fiction section, and browse the shelves for something that caught his eye. Maybe he would read a sci-fi or a crime novel today? Or maybe he was feeling more in the mood for a tragic romance or maybe even a historical fiction that focused more on the facts?

If he only knew what I did with her while he was at the university and he thought I was at the garage, working to bring home the bacon.

Edd went to Peach Creek University. His scholarships paid in full all his classes. He'd been adamant on taking his basics at home before he went off to a big league college hundreds of miles away from his family and friends. It would be less expensive in the long run, hopefully, and he would get a few extra years of preparation before deciding on one of his acceptance letters.

Kevin worked in the local garage, tinkering on cars. He changed oil filters and repaired shot motors. He came home every day with oil stains on his face, smelling of dirt and grime and sweat and work. He came home tired after a long day getting yelled at by snooty pretty boys who worried over their precious cars to Eddward who sat on the couch pouring over his books.

Kevin, in his head, resented Edd and his books and just everything having to do with him. He thought he was so great, going to college and learning and one day getting to leave this hell-hole that dared to call itself a town.

It was when Kevin was at lunch one day, just a normal, no-body day, that Kevin met her. She was blonde and curvy and loud and everything that Edd was not. She was less than brilliant and sexy. She wore short dresses that left nothing to the mind and she flaunted her body with an air of confidence that Edd would never possess.

If he only knew he wasn't the one, but the other one.

Kevin only met up with Blondie when Edd was out of the house. Sometimes it was at his and Edd's house and sometimes at her apartment. But it was always when Edd was at work or school or at his parents or with his friends.

Kevin and Edd's relationship was over. At least, for Kevin it was. They rarely went out and when they ate dinner at the table in the kitchen, it was always silent and awkward. Nights were quiet and not at all like they'd been when they had been teenagers.

But with Blondie, Kevin was active and happy and just happy to be alive. Edd didn't give him that and he never would.

But he couldn't tell.

He couldn't tell because Kevin feared that the sneaking around, the lying through his teeth and going behind Edd's back was what gave his relationship with Blondie the spice, the spark it needed to keep him happy. The entirety of his deceit was what got his blood pumping and he couldn't let that go.

But if only Edd knew everything Kevin was doing behind his back, at her home, in their home, in their bed, while he and Edd only ever even glanced at each other anymore.


	91. Happy Thanksgiving

There it was. Sitting there, mocking him. Taking the rightful place of his bird, his bird.

That damn tofu turkey.

Tofu didn't belong at the dinner table. Especially at this time of year. No, tofu belonged elsewhere. Maybe at the bottom of a dumpster, if you asked Kevin. Or if you just listened to him grumble as he watched the fake turkey sit menacingly in the middle of the table, surrounded by the stuffing and the green beans and the cranberry jelly.

The only reason, the only reason Kevin didn't complain aloud was because this dinner with Edd's parents was just the first stop of two more dinners before the holidays were over. At least Kevin will have two normal Thanksgivings. Hopefully.

Edd sat down beside Kevin, placing a small hand on his left knee under the dining room table. The ancient white table cloth that only saw the light of day during the last fall hours hid the comfort. Kevin's own hand found Edd's and they clasped them together as Edd's Abuela bowed her head and lead the family prayer.

You know, besides the whatever-it-was that was taking the place of the turkey, Edd's family was really great. His parents, who he and everyone in the old cul-de-sac had thought were cold and distant, were really nice and his mother rivaled Nazz in terms of looks and attitude. His father was like the standard dad unit, tough and stern, but also he could play the buddy card. Edd's grandfather had never been in the picture; the man had left when he was younger, when Edd's mother was still a child herself. But his Abuela was pretty badass. She wasn't the wrinkly old lady type who wore shawls and drank stinky tea and ate dry cookies. She was a saint in the kitchen, something she'd passed down to her daughter and grandson. And she had the best jokes both kid-friendly and some that made even Edd's father blush.

The dinner before them had been an all day affair. At six in the morning, Kevin had woken for just a moment while Edd shuffled around their dark room, tugging on slippers and pulling a large hoodie over his pajama top before pressing a quick kiss to Kevin's temple and then slipping downstairs to start working on the turkey.

At nine, a respectable non-crazy time for someone to wake up at during the holidays, Kevin drifted down the stairs for coffee and to see what it was that smelled so darn good.

At nine-o-nine, Kevin had a large mug of black coffee (and the rest of the pot keeping warm over the burner) and some toast smothered in jam placed before him.

Edd and his Abuela were hovering over the stove, working on some kind of side dish. The turkey was presumably in the oven, cooking away for the big dinner and Kevin learned quickly that sneaking bites was not tolerated in this household.

Kevin spent most of his day talking with and watching football with Edd's father. The man sat in his easy chair the day long, flipping between sitcoms, the games, and the parade while he talked fantasy leagues with Kevin as his wife, son, and mother-in-law all worked in the kitchen.

Edd, around two, was shoved more than anything out of the kitchen and banished to the couch with his boyfriend and father. He dozed while the sports games were on, not really into the sport itself or the heated discussions it prompted from the other two men. While the television played the parade, he spouted off facts about decades past, boring the two like he had just minutes before been. Eventually, Edd got his father to settle on the cooking channel. His father and Kevin didn't complain as pictures of turkey after turkey rolled past their eyes.

Now Kevin was sitting at the table, peeking under his eyelashes as Edd's Abuela finished off her prayer. How could Edd be so sneaky? Or Roger? Hadn't they bonded over football? How couldn't he warn him about the tofu?

Edd suddenly stood up and began cutting slices of fake-o turkey tofu and placing them on each of the plates around the table. He sat down after serving himself and then the side dishes were passed around as conversation started up.

Kevin watched as Edd's abuela inhaled the tofu. He suspected she was eating it like pills, holding her breath and washing it down with a drink. Then Edd's mother: she was eating all dainty-like, tiny bites of the tofu here, a nibble of greens there. Roger was the only one (besides Edd, of course) who seemed to not mind the tofu. He ate it like Kevin would eat a steak, taking big bites and scraping the plate with his fork for any leftover bits. The redhead stared at his plate, tactfully avoiding the tofu for as long as possible before finally choking down a tiny bite.

It wasn't that bad. He guessed. He took another bite with the mindset that if he hurried to eat it, it would be gone sooner.

Edd watched as Kevin inhaled his plate of food. He felt very accomplished to have created such a meal that even Kevin liked everything swimming on his plate.

The next day, Kevin and Edd found themselves in separate rooms at Kevin's grandparent's home. His dad's parents were nearing old folk's home age. His granddad was starting to show the early signs of dementia and his grandma, dear, sweat old grandma was too frail to chance another slip in the kitchen.

They were old in their age and their ways, thus Kevin and his parents had never told them about him and Edd. To them, Edd was just a friend coming to spend the holidays with him while his parents were out of town.

Kevin's grandmother could still cook up a mean dinner, despite how badly her hands shook at times. She wasn't anywhere near as good as Edd's abuela he had to admit, but she came in a close second.

And! This time Kevin got to eat his turkey! Real turkey! Real, meaty turkey!

Granddad and Grandma sat opposite of Kevin and Edd. Grandma kept offering more mashed potatoes to Eddward who declined every other spoonful. He'd tried to explain to her that he didn't eat meat and her response was to stuff him with carbs and starch.

Granddad dozed off in the middle of dinner and Kevin reached over to tap his elbow and the man snapped back up, shouting something about 'Nam at one glance at Eddward, who really looked nothing like a young man of Vietnamese decent mostly because he was not a young man of Vietnamese descent, and threw his fork across the table at him, spouting out more nonsense that Kevin hadn't known his granddad could even remember.

That night, after dinner's leftovers were packed up and Edd had showered out all the extra potatoes out of his hair, the two stayed up until the elderly couple simmered down and fell asleep in their bedroom before Edd shuffled across the hall and curled up in Kevin's old bedroom.

The large meal lulled them to sleep just as quickly as the day before and soon they were waking to the smell of the stinky tea that Kevin's grandma always drank. (Both young men were glad to leave the house that afternoon, ready to be rid of the horrid smell that would most likely follow them for a few days to come.)

Kevin's parent's house was the last stop of the holidays before the young couple would finally return home to their own home in the heart of Peach Creek City.

Kevin's mother, Penelope, commandeered the kitchen this time, not allowing anyone of the opposite sex in until she was ready for help to move the prepared dishes to the table. She shooed the boys to Kevin's father, Anderson, who corralled them in his garage.

He showed off his trophies to Edd, much to the Latino's displeasure. The heads of hunt's past were not very pleasing to look at for one animal's rights activist, but he kept his mouth shut and his eyes pointed down.

The redheaded men laughed at Edd's squeamish looks and Kevin finally rescued him, pulling Edd away to the backyard where they sat on the porch swing and watched the sun fall across the sky.

Penelope called the boys inside after the sun had set. Edd was dozing off, all ready for a nap before dinner had even started. This final meal was about as lively as the first one at Edd's parents'. There was no praying – Kevin's family wasn't so devoted that they prayed at mealtime, just the occasional attendance at church like during Easter Sunday – but there was lots of talking and laughing and passing of food around the table.

Kevin's mother soaked in the praise with a smug look. She didn't cook big meals like this often, but holiday meals were an exception and she always went all out to please the masses.

Anderson talked about the annual hunt the next day. He'd be taking Kevin like always. He tried roping Edd in too, but the ravenette declined politely, reinforcing his self-proscribed avoidance of anything to do with killing or eating animals.

Dessert was a hit. And not only because it was the only house that served it. Penelope Barr's homemade apple dumpling pie was the best in the Great Canadian North. Even Edd couldn't refuse a second slice after having been blessed enough to stumble upon his first.

After three Turkey Day dinners with two turkeys and the thing that shall not be mentioned, Kevin laid down in his old bed, Edd curled at his side nursing a final cup of tea before he succumbed to his yawns for a third night.

The day after their three-day holiday, Kevin and Edd lazed around their own home after work. The small apartment's kitchenette wasn't equipped to stew up a grandiose Thanksgiving dinner with all the fixin's, but it was enough to make a nice final holiday meal for the two of them alone.

Edd cooked up a casserole that summed up most of the side dishes they had eaten at the three houses while Kevin cooked himself a few turkey breasts and made Edd some fried tofu with faux turkey gravy over the top.

They sat down at the bar counter and ate side-by-side, listening to the television play some sitcom in the background, enjoying the comfortable silence between them after a crazy weekend of family.

Thanksgiving was probably the best holiday. It was crazy from the shopping trip to the grocery store all up until the final relative left and the last slice of pie and last drop of gravy was gone in the next week to come.

The apartment smelled like turkey and potatoes until the following Tuesday. The sleepy turkey days were gone for now, until Christmas finally came around. But for now, school and work awaited and Kevin could no longer sleep until noon and eat turkey until he couldn't move again.

Yeah, the fall holidays were probably the best.


	92. Sleepy Mornings

Kevin was not a morning person. Honestly, who really was? Who actually wanted to drag themselves out of a warm bed to face cold floors and bright lights after a night conked out probably having some kind of an awesome dream?

But stuff had to be done and there were places to be, people to meet, yadda yadda, so Kevin once again pulled himself out of the tangle of blankets while also trying to keep them still wrapped around him. It was winter now and he knew what kind of a shock the cold air would give him and he wasn't ready for that just yet.

He scrubbed at his eyes, rubbing the crust away. Maybe if he gouged his eyes out he'd be a little more awake?

The red-head glanced sleepily around the room for his socks or shoes or anything he could stick on his feet so he wouldn't have to go barefoot. The only thing within reach was Edd's bunny slippers. They were too small for his feet. He had man feet. Big and long and Edd had small, dainty woman feet. Ah well. Kevin stuck them on, his heels catching the ice. It was better than nothing.

Under the blankets he only had his boxer shorts on. Luckily for him, his pajama pants were tangled in the mess of blankets on the bed. He wiggled his hips and maneuvered blindly to fit into them and then he tugged a loose t-shirt on from the dresser, making his way to the bathroom to get rid of his rank morning breath.

Kevin splashed some warm water on his face. The pipes in the winter made the water a little colder than he'd like, than any sane person would like. While he was shaving, he caught a whiff of something that smelled awfully good, but his mind just couldn't wake up enough to understand what it was or where it was coming from.

He stumbled down the stairs on autopilot with a nick on his neck and a tiny piece of toilet paper blotting the cut. The nick stung and he really shouldn't have put aftershave over it, but like it was, he wasn't awake and probably wouldn't be for at least another hour or so.

The living room was dark, the blinds still drawn and the television off. Kevin fumbled around for the remote and flipped it onto a news station but that didn't last long as the boring voices of the middle-aged newscasters droned on about someone else's problems and he decided on an old cartoon he'd watched as a kid.

Without falling into his chair like his brain told him to, Kevin made it the last few feet into the kitchen where the smell was coming from.

The lights were on and Edd was pushing something around in a pan over the stovetop as Kevin flung the door open, startling the poor guy. But he didn't pay heed and proceeded to flop into a chair and rest his head on the kitchen table.

"Did you have a nice rest?" Edd asked from across the room.

"Mmm."

"Please take your head off the table, Kevin. It's unsanitary."

"I washed it," he mumbled, rolling his head so his nose pushed into the wood. It starts to hurt after a few moments, but his brain is still half-asleep and he can't get himself to care. Kevin only finally moves his head when a plate filled with eggs, bacon, and toast is set down next to him.

He devours the strips of bacon at the drop of a hat. It's hot and burns the roof of his mouth, but it's also salty and that makes up for it, because now he's salivating and wanting more.

"Mornin', Edd."

Edd's sitting across from him with his own breakfast, eating at a much more dignified speed and using civilized decorum instead of wolfing his food like a beast.

"Morning, sleepyhead."

Kevin yawns and Edd laughs.

"There's coffee," Edd offers once Kevin begins to slowdown for the last bites of egg and toast, sopping up the runny yolks so as not to leave a single drop. As soon as its down his throat, he's up from his chair and searching for a clean mug to down some coffee.

His third cup is usually the pick-me-upper and by the time that one's gone, he's wide awake and rearing to go, ready for the day ahead.

Edd's washed the dishes by now and showered and changed and Kevin's still in his pajamas, but he won't be for long. He just has to give Edd one last kiss before he leaves for work before he rushes into the shower so he isn't late for his own shift.


	93. Merry Eddmus

"You don't have to worry so much, Mother," Eddward said as loud as his strained voice would allow. "It's just the flu."

"Nonsense, dear. The flu is a very serious illness. And don't strain your voice anymore," the woman chided. "Here, drink this broth and when you're done, I'll bring up some tea and honey." Eddward's mother placed a small bowl of chicken broth on a tray in front of her son who struggled to sit up in bed. She fluffed his pillows and took his temperature once more before leaving him to eat in peace.

Eddward took a few half-hearted spoonfuls, but couldn't stomach the salty broth for very long. He made haste to carefully place the bowl on his bedside table and hurry to the bathroom where he promptly emptied his stomach of the broth and the toast he had had that morning.

"Eddward" Edd's mother's voice called through the door. She knocked once and entered before Eddward could give permission. "Are you alright?"

Eddward shivered as he flushed the toilet and rinsed his mouth out. "Not very, mother. I think I'll just lay down some more," he whispered.

"I'll get your medicine and the tea. Go back to bed, honey."

"Thank you, mother."

"And no more talking."

Eddward sipped at his tea under his mother's supervision and chocked down two pills from his prescription.

"I hope you feel better soon, dear. It's terribly to be sick on the holidays, especially Christmas."

Eddward nodded, the medicine kicking in and making him drowsy. "I hope so too." And with that, he fell right asleep for the rest of the afternoon.

When Eddward awoke, he heard shuffling about his room and suspected his mother or even perhaps his father cleaning up a bit.

"Mother?"

"Close."

"Kevin?"

"Bingo." The redhead shuffled over to sit at the edge of Edd's bed. He smiled a bit and put a hand over one of Edd's.

"You shouldn't be here," Eddward whispered. His voice cracked and he coughed, quick to cover his mouth his with elbow. "I'll get you sick and I would feel terrible."

"I won't get sick. I got a flu shot the other week. Mom says I'm invincible for now." Kevin smirked and raised his arms to flex. Eddward smiled quietly.

"Besides," Kevin said after a moment of flexing his muscles, "I had to come give you your present. And mom sent cookies over." He gestured to a large plate full of Christmas cookies donned on Edd's bedside table. There was also a large box wrapped up in bright green and red paper with tons of tape and a large red bow on top.

"That was very thoughtful. Please, tell your mother thank you for me." Edd eyed the box thoughtfully, wondering what on earth his boyfriend could have gotten him that required such a large box. "And you didn't have to get me anything."

"Pshh. You always say that when I get you something. And besides, it's Christmas so I had to get you something. It wouldn't have been festive of me if I hadn't."

"Well, then you'll have to excuse my gift, for I fear it's nothing as big as this seems to be. It's in the tree downstairs as well or I'd give it to you now."

"Now, I know whatever you got me won't compare. Anyways, you can't open it until Christmas Day. And you'd better be feeling better 'cause I convinced my parents to let me spend Christmas morning with you and your folks."

"That's wonderful, Kevin, but surely you would want to be with your family."

"I've spent ever Christmas since I was born with my family, they can miss me for one morning just this once."

Kevin and Eddward talked for a while more before Edd's mother came up to give him some more tea and honey.

"It's getting late, Kevin," she reminded. "It'll be dark soon and Eddward needs his rest. You may come back in the morning if he's feeling well enough, though. I'll send you up with breakfast for the two of you."

"Thanks a lot, Mrs. Vincent," Kevin said politely, standing and patting Edd's hand once more. "I'll be back first thing tomorrow morning."

"I'll be waiting," she said kindly and lead Kevin down the stairs and to the door after the two boys said goodbye.

Before laying back down to sleep for the night, Eddward's mother gave him another bowl of broth to sip at. He was able to keep it down, thankfully, and slept to whole night through.

Edd woke Christmas Eve feeling not refreshed, but definitely better. During the night his cough had gone away and now his throat would feel much better not having to strain as he coughed.

Kevin was already sitting, waiting for Edd to wake. He had a tray of toast and jam and eggs and bacon for the both of them, along with tea and honey for Edd and the last of his prescription.

"You don't have a temperature anymore," Kevin informed Edd. "Your mother checked when I came up. She says you should be all better by tomorrow."

"That's good." Eddward sipped his tea and nibbled at a piece of toast with jam, leaving the heavy eggs and bacon for Kevin. The honey coated Edd's throat as he sipped the tea, leaving a warmness inside of him that soothed his throat. "Would it be acceptable for me to ask something of you?"

"Yeah, what?"

"Do you think you could round up Ed and Eddy for me? I'd very much like to give them their presents myself before Christmas tomorrow, but mother would never allow me to leave the bed just yet to face the cold."

Kevin pulled a face and Edd swatted at his arm. "I'm just joking," the redhead said. "I'll get the dorks for you." Kevin gathered up the dishes and carried the tray back downstairs and told Mrs. Vincent he'd be back in a jiffy.

Kevin scurried along the sidewalk towards the inner circle of the cul-de-sac towards Eddy's house as fast as he could. He may have been dating Skipper's best friend for almost two years now, but that didn't mean he didn't think he was a selfish dork. But alas, he was Double D's friend and Kevin had to be nice or there would be no more Double D and no more Double D would be a very bad thing indeed.

Kevin knocked on Eddy's bedroom door and he pulled one last face before it slid open to reveal a very tall Ed instead of a very tiny Eddy.

"Kevin!" The big Ed cried happily. "Eddy, it's Kevin!"

"What's Shovelchin want? Double D's not here."

"What do you want, Kevin?"

"Dee sent me to get you guys. He has presents for you."

"Presents?!" Eddy was at the door in the blink of an eye. "Presents?"

"Yeah, presents. And he wants to give them to you, so come on."

Ed led the way, practically skipping as he sang a Christmas tune very off key and very loudly. Mrs. Vincent opened the door for them before they could knock and she received a large hug from Ed whom she patted on the head.

"Now, you have to be quiet, Ed dear. Eddward is still sick and I don't think it would be very good to be so noisy. He still needs his rest," she said kindly as she sent the boys up with drinks and a snack.

Eddward was dozing off when Ed, Eddy, and Kevin all filed into the room. He had a large tome on his chest and his head was rolled back on his pillow, his reading glasses askew on his nose.

"Aww," Ed cooed. He held his hands up and tapped at Double D's nose. "Look at the little dickens."

"Stop it Ed, he's not a baby," Eddy snapped.

Double D scrunched his nose and opened his eyes. "Oh! That was fast! I apologize for falling asleep." He clumsily moved his book to the side table and gratefully accepted the cranberry juice and small plate of cookies from Kevin.

"Ed, it's not polite to touch people when they're sleeping," he said.

"Okay, Double D." The big Ed sat down and Edd bounced, clutching his drink in hand so it didn't spill over.

"Careful, Ed."

"So," Eddy said, looking around the small bedroom with shifty eyes, "Kev here said you had presents."

Double D smiled. "They're under the Christmas tree, yes. If someone doesn't mind going down to get them? They should be on the left-hand side, near the window."

Eddy smiled his schemer-smile and raced down the stairs, leaving Edd with Ed and Kevin. The lovable oaf was devouring his cookies and glugging his juice and Kevin and Edd watched with morbid fascination until Eddy scampered back into the room, his arms laden with wrapped gifts.

Double D handed a thick and heavy-set box to Ed who gleamed at it. Eddward had to warn him not to tear into it just yet. Then he handed Eddy the bag full of individually wrapped items.

"I hope you both like them. I would have put more thought into them, but I was getting sick when I got them and had no energy."

"I bet they're perfect, Double D," Ed said with a large smile and gave a gentle hug to his sick friend.

"Thank you, Ed." Edd then finally handed Kevin a small box with a tiny bow to Kevin. It fit in the palm of his hand. "Please don't open it until tomorrow," he told the three of them.

The afternoon was spent laughing and telling stories about family and relatives who were visiting and watching a Christmas classic before Mrs. Vincent came to send the boys off before it got too dark outside.

"You can all visit Eddward tomorrow, hopefully when he is fit as a fiddle."

Kevin hung back a few minutes and pressed stealthy kisses on Edd's forehead (because Edd absolutely refused anything more until he was completely well again). "I'll be here bright and early, so you'd better be healthy," he said as he pressed another kiss below the beanie.

"I can't make any promises, but I will surely try to be a well as possible when I wake."

The next morning, it was Mr. Vincent who woke Edd. The tall man was wearing a robe over flannel pajamas and he had large, blocky glasses on his nose that were fogging from the steam of his coffee mug.

"You're mother wanted to know if you felt well enough to climb the stairs," he explained in a half-asleep voice. He yawned and drank largely from his mug.

Eddward stretched his arms and sighed when his shoulders popped. He slipped on his bunny slippers and shuffled towards his father, placing a hand on his forearm. "I'm sure I could manage, but just in case."

Kevin was in the kitchen, just like he said, bright and early, helping Mrs. Vincent make breakfast for the four of them.

Eddward sipped his tea and honey and talked in hushed tones with Kevin as they sat at the table during the meal. While Kevin sharing a meal with the Vincent family was nothing new, it was still slightly awkward or tense. Eddward was just a little embarrassed by the fact that his parents knew about their relationship, but that was just his shy nature and nothing more.

"We'll open presents after cleaning up," Mrs. Vincent said as she turned the tap on, letting it run until it was hot before plugging the sink. Kevin sprang from his chair and began helping her wash up, telling Edd to sit still.

Edd glanced to his father, who was reading the morning newspaper, and flushed a little when he noticed the man glancing over the top of it at him. "Merry Christmas, Father," he said timidly.

"Merry Christmas, Eddward."

"Thank you for allowing Kevin to spend the morning with us. That was very kind of you."

"That was all your mother, actually. Thank her. I just went along." Edd nods.

The four of them move into the living room and take seats around the Christmas tree, bundled in robes and blankets. Mr. Vincent starts a fire in the hearth and Mrs. Vincent passes out the first round of gifts.

There's a lot of tearing and unwrapping and a whole lot of making a large mess, but it's ignored while everyone reveals what Santa brought them.

Mrs. Vincent receives a new necklace from her husband and Mr. Vincent is the proud owner of a new tie courtesy of his wife. Eddward has new slides for his microscope from his parents; hundreds of different bacteria that he can't wait to start studying.

The large red and green box with a big bow from Kevin to Edd is opened up second to last. Double D has no idea what could be in such a large box, so he is careful when thumbing the tape off the paper. Beneath the paper, an unmarked box sits in his lap.

"What on earth?"

Kevin hands his pocket knife over so Edd can get through the second layer of tape-mayhem.

Inside, there are a few books on various subjects that Edd finds fascinating. There is a sweater that looks absolutely marvelous and nestled inside the folded sweater is a small ring. Edd flushes as he shows the ring off to his parents. There is a silver chain looped through it and Edd asks Kevin to fasten it for him.

The last present to be opened is Kevin's little box that he kept with him all night from Eddward. The dork blushes as Kevin unties the bow, laughing nervously with an embarrassed smile on his face.

Inside the small box is a ring, similar to the one now hanging over Edd's heart. Double D tells Kevin he didn't know he would be receiving a ring as well and that he hadn't thought to invest in a chain.

Despite Edd's embarrassment, Kevin laughed and said, "Well, great minds think alike." And he slipped his own ring on his finger, pretending to be vain as he held it up to inspect.

Christmas morning ended up dragging by and Mrs. Vincent barricaded herself in the kitchen to make Christmas dinner. Mr. Vincent turned the television on and A Christmas Story ended up playing nonstop in the house until the next morning. And Edd and Kevin spent the afternoon upstairs doing what boys do.


	94. Noodle Incident

Eddy's latest scam led the three Eds to Lowes, the Home Improvement store. The shortest of the trio's latest get rich quick scheme involved making time capsules out of pvc pipe and spare parts. It was cheap and they could make plenty, then Ed could let loose his art skills, decorating them and then Edd could manage their pricing and Eddy could supervise and entice their new customers at the campus.

The three boys filled the cart with foot after foot of pvc pipes and fittings. The paint that Ed needed ended up being the most expensive, but they had gotten that at a craft's store earlier that day.

Ed pushed the cart quickly up and down the large, warehouse aisles, riding on the little undercarriage, laughing loudly, ignoring Edd's cries of, "Ed! You'll get hurt!" and "We will all be kicked out!"

Eddy scanned the shelves, matching prices and adding sums in his head. Honestly, he wasn't even paying attention to Ed. They'd all grown up together and Edd should know by now that Ed didn't care about safety, for himself or others. He did what he wanted like the lug he was.

Double D followed at a quick pace after Ed, who'd turned a corner, precariously tipping the cart as he did so, calling after his friend to at least slow down a little. As he rounded the same corner, he nearly ran into a blue-vested store employee. Edd stopped in his tracks and quickly apologized for running in the store, but he was cut off by a hand and a kind smile.

"I think your friend went that way," the man said, pointing towards the household appliances section. Sure enough, Edd could see the top of Ed's fuzzy head as he zipped between the refrigerators and stoves.

"Oh dear. I apologize for his actions. Ed is, you see, he's a sort of free-spirit. I mean, he isn't usually like this. I'll stop him as soon as I can."

"Nah. It's fine. As long as he doesn't hit anyone or something, it's fine." The man held his hand out. "By the way, I'm Damien. You?"

"O-Oh, um, I'm Edd. Eddward, with two Ds." Edd shook hands with Damien quickly and smiled jovially.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Edd," Damien said with a similar smile.

The two chatted for a while, Edd forgetting about stopping Ed and Damien shirking his duties. Finally, after the time caught up to them (rather, Eddy shouted a few aisles down for Edd), Damien handed a slip of paper with his number on it and said, "I'd like to take you out some time." Then he tweaked Edd's nose and waved.

Edd, geeky, nerdy, shy Edd smiled on the inside and out, feeling a giddy, butterfly feeling flutter from his stomach into his throat. He rubbed his nose and felt the warm heat of a blush.

He hurried back to Eddy who was still yelling for him and Ed to come back. Ed was just turning the corner on the opposite side of the aisle when Edd got to the source of Eddy's yelling. The pipes and fittings were still in the basket, surprisingly.

The boys went to pay and Edd was glad to leave, if only so he could add Damien's contact information into his cell while Eddy drove the purple van to their dorm.

"What are you doing, Double D?" Ed asked from the back. He'd been laying on the waterbed, letting the moving vehicle flop him around. Now he was crouched over the side of the front passenger seat, looking over Edd's shoulder at his cell phone.

"It's rude to stare, Ed," Edd chastised. "And I'm adding a contact to my phone."

"A contact?" Eddy asked, glancing over. "Who? We weren't there that long."

Edd rolled his eyes. "I'm perfectly capable of making friends, Eddy. In fact, I met him while trying to catch up to you, Ed," Edd said, glancing over the back into the back of the van, turning in his seat. "His name is Damien and he was an employee at Lowes."

"Awww!" The two other boys cooed mockingly.

Edd frowned and gave them each a seething look.

"Did he ask you out, Double D?" Ed asked after giving his friend a sheepish smile.

"In fact, he did indeed ask me out. He gave me his number and will text me soon."

"How do you know it's not just a scam?" Eddy asked. "Girls give fake numbers all the time. I bet guys do it too to troll on guys like you."

"Guys like me?" Edd asked primly.

Eddy sighed loudly and groaned. "You know what I mean, Edd," he said. He squeezed the van into a tiny parking spot and the three continued their conversation in the parking lot and then in the hall, in the elevator up to the fifth floor, and then finally in Ed's dorm.

"Damn, Double D," Eddy groaned after finally Edd finished his spiel about calling Edd 'guys like you' when referring to gay people as a group in general. "Okay. I get it. You don't have to lecture every damn time. 'Sides," he flopped onto Ed's bed. "We have work to do."

We actually meant Ed and Edd while Eddy fiddled with his phone apps and supervising. Working could also be taken loosely as all the boys had to do was fit caps and screwed pieces on the ends of the pipes.

Ed painted the pipes from his favourite monsters to popular cartoons and abstract designs on the time capsules.

The boys would let the pipes dry for the next day and then on the weekend, when most classes were out, the Eds would set up a stall in the pavilion and sell them, making a quick few bucks off of freshmen and some nostalgic seniors.

By day's end, Ed, Edd and Eddy were all laid out on the large bed, fiddling with their phones, chatting amicably and winding down from the long day they had.

"Oh!"

Edd sat up with a large smile and a faint blush. "He texted me."

The two other Eds sat up as well.

"And? What'd he say?" Eddy asked.

"Um," Edd scrolled down the message, reading it quickly. "He said he wants to meet at that diner on 5th. W-What should I say?"

"Tell him yes!" Ed shouted, bouncing on the bed, toppling everyone over. "Oh, Double D is gonna have a Baby Daddy!"

"It doesn't work like that, Ed," Eddy said with a scowl as he picked himself up off the floor. He looked back over to Edd who was doing the same. "Just say sure and that's it."

"That's it?"

"That's it."

"But what if—"

"That's it. Then, if he doesn't say a time, you tell him when to meet up."

Edd worried his lip, but acquiesced and typed in his hesitant reply. The room was silent as the boys all waited for a reply.

The phone buzzed and Edd read aloud, "He says, 'Cool. See you at eight tomorrow.'" Edd looked back at Eddy expectantly.

"Say cool back and then you're done."

Edd did as told and Eddy slapped him on the back. "Way ta go, Sockhead! You just got your first date! About time too."

Edd flushed bright red. "I hardly think this could be considered a date. But, I guess we'll just have to see." He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

Ed gave a happy cry and the trio spent the rest of the night playing videogames and hanging out.

The next day, Eddy helped Edd pick out his outfit. The nerd spent his time overly critiquing every outfit, always finding something wrong with it and insisting on trying just one more on.

Finally, Ed told Double D that he looked fine and Edd gave him a kind smile and thanked him. He decided on a casual outfit of comfortable jeans and a cotton shirt and a light jacket. His hat was a no brainer.

At seven-thirty, Eddy drove Edd to the diner and told him if Edd needed it, he could pick him up later as well. Then he drove off with plans of forming a few more schemes for the coming weeks with Ed.

Edd took a deep preparatory breath outside the diner. He could see Damien just inside, sitting at a booth near a window on the opposite side of the building. Edd focused on his reflection, fixing his hat and smoothing out the nonexistent wrinkles in his shirt and jacket before gathering up the courage to enter the small establishment.

As the bells over the door chimed, Damien looked over and waved Edd across the room. Edd scurried over.

"Hey! I didn't think you'd actually come," Damien said with a large smile. "'T's happened before."

"O-Oh, no I'd never stand someone up. I just had to take a few minutes to find some courage." Edd shrugged sheepishly.

"Oh God." Damien chuckled, holding a hand to his mouth. "You're totally adorable. Sorry."

"N-No. Uh, thank you. You're quite handsome yourself," Edd said lamely.

"Well, anyways, in fear of sounding cliché, tell me about yourself. How old are you? Do you go to school? Do you work?"

"Um, well, I'm nineteen and I'm attending Peach Creek University currently with my two friends. I don't have a job at the moment, but I've been looking at the local bookstores for openings. I like to read, you see."

"That's cool. What are you studying? Or don't you know?"

"Oh, I'm not decided yet, because I'm having trouble choosing between Math and Science. I'll probably just end up doing both though. Sorry if that sounds boring."

"Nah. It's more interesting than me. I work at Lowes. Literally the most boring place ever."

"Do you go to school as well?"

"Nah. I went for two years and then dropped out. I'll probably go back later though to finish and get a degree in something, but for now, I'm just making checks."

"Well, that's still admirable. Do you have any hobbies?"

"This will probably sound kind of cheesy, but I take old game consoles and stuff and deconstruct them. Not that cool unless your into that stuff."

"Oh, well, I'm sure my friend would enjoy it. He's very interesting in video games and such."

"What about you?"

Edd and Damien chatted for a few hours, eating their dinner at the diner and then drinking coffee and tea afterwards.

"So," Damien said as he took the last swig off coffee. "Do you think we could continue this somewhere else?"

Edd nearly spit out his tea. "L-Like…"

"At my place? I have some coffee and tea that tastes hella better than this stuff."

"O-Oh, um, alright." Edd smiled at Damien shyly.

Damien's apartment was well organized and clean and Edd found the small desk with a gaming console right away. There were many more parts to it than Edd originally thought were there. A small leather couch was pushed against one wall and so Edd sat down on the edge, letting his hands rest on his knees while Damien went to make the promised tea.

"It's a little hot, so you might want to let it cool," he said as he came back from the kitchen some minutes later.

"That's fine," Edd said, taking the mug, warming up his hands. He felt it all the way in his stomach.

The two talked some more and Edd took small sips from his tea.

About half an hour later, Edd felt himself yawn for the fifth time. This was unlike him. He had such a tight schedule, he shouldn't be tired at only… The clock on the far wall read eleven o'clock. Was it that late?

"I-I think I should be going," Edd said, giving Damien a timid smile. "It's quite late and my friend was going to pick me up." He yawned again.

"Oh, that sucks. I was having a good time." Damien reached for Edd's mug and the nerd quickly finished it off before handing it to him. "Well, I'll just put these in the sink."

Edd yawned once more and he reached for his phone on the coffee table just a few inches in front of him. His vision was blurry from the tears in his eyes, but he also felt slightly wobbly and maybe a little sick. Something didn't feel very right.

Edd was able to grab his phone and write a garbled text to Eddy (or who he hoped was Eddy) to pick him up at Damien's address. He'd written just in time, because not a minute later, the phone dropped from his hand as it shook lightly and Edd gave one last yawn before falling asleep on the couch.

Waking up was not a very pleasant experience. Edd's head pounded and the morning sun was far too bright. Sitting up was an even worse idea. As soon as he'd jostled his stomach, Edd hurried from the bed to find a trash bin or bathroom to retch in. The bathroom was locked, but a trash bin next to the desk was the second best place and Edd heaved up the remnants of his dinner the previous night.

"Double D?" Ed poked his head out of the bathroom at the sound of Edd sicking up. The large teenager crept beside his friend's side, rubbing his back. "Are you alright, D?"

Edd wiped his mouth with a tissue and shook from the heaving, but nodded. "I-I'll be better soon, Ed."

Ed nodded and scurried carefully to the hall door and called for Eddy. The two returned and helped Edd into the bathroom to wash out the bin and clean him up.

"What happened? Why does my head hurt so badly?"

Eddy had a large scowl on his face as he poured some mouth wash for Edd to swish around. "That douche happened."

"What?"

"Damien isn't a very nice person," Ed said helpfully as he washed the bin in the bath.

"What? Did something happen?" Edd thought back to the night before as carefully as he could so his head didn't pound any more. "I remember falling asleep after texting you, Eddy. I honestly don't know why I was so tired. It was only eleven and I've stayed up writing essays much later."

"Yeah, well, it helps if the guy puts a fucking pill in your drink," Eddy said with a bite.

"What?"

"That fucking bastard put a fucking drug in your drink to get you to pass out.

Edd's stomach churned once more and he suddenly felt as if he'd throw up again.

"I got there and you weren't outside so I waited for a while and then texted and you didn't reply so I went up to the door and the bastard answered the door like fucking nothing was happening. D, he had your shirt off and was probably working on your pants when I got there." Eddy ran a hand over his face and hair. "Shit!"

"W-What happened after that?"

"I fucking threatened to call the cops if he didn't let me take you home."

"And did he?"

"Well you're here, ain't ya?"

Edd swallowed uncomfortably. He had goose bumps all over his arms and was a little green around the gills.

"We're still going to the police," Ed said from the doorway. His tall frame barely fit. "No one does bad things to Double D and gets away with it."


	95. Here and Now

Kevin was a smart guy. At least, he didn't think he was stupid or anything. He'd gone to school and gotten decent enough grades and didn't graduate at the bottom of his class. That was enough for him to say with at least a half-smirk on his face that he was educated.

But there was just one thing that he couldn't wrap his head around. Just one thing.

All his life, growing up as a child and then in school, he'd been taught that all Omegas yearn for an Alpha's presence, their company, their touch. All Omegas cannot function without their Alpha to make the decisions and give them what their Heats drive into their brains in a dizzying manner.

Omegas needed Alphas and Alphas got Omegas. That was what he was taught and that's what he accepted.

But, when he was just twenty two, his cousin, little, Omega Kevin Anderson (who'd been named after him) came to him with sweaty palms and the stutter that his family thought they'd gotten rid of in elementary.

Little Omega Kevin Anderson liked someone. Like, like-liked someone.

The usually nerdy, sure of himself Omega was incoherent and could barely explain to Kevin what it was exactly that was upsetting him so much.

It was only after he'd been forcefully sat down in Kevin's desk chair that the Omega was able to take a few deep breaths and explain in one long sentence that he was dating an Omega not an Alpha and he really liked them and they liked him and they were totally rad and what was he supposed to do?

Kevin, big, Alpha Kevin Barr, stared at his younger cousin, trying to decipher the words for a moment.

"What?"

"Oh God!"

"Calm down, Squirt. And explain again, in more than one breath."

Kevin Anderson took another deep breath, but let it out through his nose this time. "Okay. So, you know Edd? Not the tall one, the one with the hat? Yeah… W-We've been seeing each other. Like, going out to eat and holding hands and w-we've… yeah." He was gesturing with his hands, not sure exactly what to do with himself.

"But isn't he a—"

"That's what I'm so confused about! He's the only one I've ever felt this way about! But, he's an Omega! Omegas don't like other Omegas! We like Alphas and that's that. That's what everyone's said." He looked unsure even as he explained himself. Weren't all Omegas supposed to submit to an Alpha? That was how everyone else worked.

"We'll, obviously you're some sort of exception."

"This isn't funny! I need real help, Kev!" The Omega's hands were fisted and held up in defense. He had an angry glint in his eye.

"Alright, okay. So, you've been seeing Double D for… How long?"

"Almost a year now," he said shyly.

"Damn. Okay, you've been seeing the Double Dork for a year. Obviously there's something about the little dude that's got your pheromones in a whack."

"But that's it! When I get my Heats, and when he gets his, we just… I dunno. We take care of each other and make each other feel better. And, when he's there or I'm taking care of him, they don't feel so bad. The cramps go away and there's no burning or—"

"Okay, okay. I really don't need to hear this." Alpha Kevin stuck out his tongue and made a scrunched face. Omega Kevin glared at him.

"But, the point is, he makes everything feel right. But he's not an Alpha."

The two Kevins stared at each other, one contemplating, and the other fretting.

"Well, who says it absolutely has to be an Alpha that makes you feel like that. I mean, I guess it makes sense that the other person to know what an Omega feels like during that time is another Omega, but, I dunno. I've never heard of two Omegas hooking up unless they're in a harem."

"We're not hooking up! We're really going out as a couple!"

"Yeah, yeah."

"I've never felt shy around Alphas like the way Edd makes me shy around him. I don't get butterflies in my stomach when an Alpha tries to assert them self. But, when Edd's just sitting there, reading, I get this funny feeling in my stomach, all light and fluttery and my palms sweat and my brain gets fuzzy and my heart feels all warm."

"You've got it good, bro."

"But what am I supposed to do? If Father found out, or your Father even, I would be in so much trouble! I could be disowned or they would pick a mate for me! Kevin, they can't choose who I'm with! If I had to live with an Alpha – someone who expects me to do as they say just because they were born as a different Type – I think I'd actually, really die! I just want to be with Edd and be happy."

Kevin Anderson eventually was calmed and his mind settled. Kevin Barr spent the rest of the night on the internet, researching same-Type relationships.

He read blogs and threads and whole websites about different people who were in sexual relationships with the same Type. It was new and different to him and a bit queasy because Kevin didn't understand at first.

He read about Omegas living with Omegas and Betas being the dominate partner with their Alpha SO. He even read up Alphas being in relationships together.

His head hurt from all the information he read up on. Who knew there were so many people who didn't follow the crowd on "Alpha, Beta, Omega"? They didn't let society stop them from being with their other half.

Kevin learned that two Omegas could have just as happy a relationship as an Alpha and Omega. He read about Type not playing a role in the relations. Alphas weren't always the Dominate and Omegas weren't always submissive.

These people identified themselves as being gay. A person attracted to the same Type. It was a new term and it felt heavy on the tongue.

Could that be what little Omega Kevin was feeling? Was he earnestly attracted to the same Type or was it just Edd? What did it matter? He was attracted to Edd and that was a problem mainly because of their family.

Kevin mentioned same-Type attraction casually in passing during supper one night. His father was head of the family and his mother was his faithful Omega wife. Dinners usually held other close family members, but tonight was a private affair.

Kevin had repeated something he'd read during his binge online as he chewed on the potatoes his mother made earlier that night.

"What's that, Kevin? Mumbling is unbecoming."

"Oh, I just said, I heard that there's gonna be a parade in town this weekend. Something about… What was it? Something about relationships?"

Kevin's father snorted. "Oh, that nonsense. 'Gay Pride Parade'." He snorted derisively into his plate. "Shameful and perverted, is what it is."

Kevin took the answer in stride. At least he had a gauging now.

Little Omega Kevin and Little Omega Edd wanted to attend the parade, discreetly if they had to. But, they wanted to know what the parade was supposed to be.

Big Alpha Kevin escorted them downtown, acting every part their bodyguard. Who knew what kind of things would go down? It could get violent, if everyone agreed with his father's sentiments and Kevin was not about to let his cousin and Edd get hurt in crossfire.

The two Omegas huddled together, walking behind him, staring at the people participating in the parade. Some were dressed flamboyantly, in rainbow colours, the adopted colours of their flag. Some were chanting and others were holding signs with promulgation on them.

The parade was well organized, whole sections dedicated to specific people and to people who supported them.

Kevin and the two Omegas just ended up watching from the sidelines, but it was an interesting thing to watch. Little Omega Kevin pointed things out to Little Omega Edd, whispering to him and holding his hand tightly.

There were smatterings of people with propaganda, shouting in megaphones that everyone associated with the parade would rot in Hell; that they were sinners, but maybe it wasn't too late to save them.

These people were almost completely ignored in favour of the more accepting and lighthearted parade goers, but they did not leave until the parade ended as well.

The two Omegas gathered the courage to find a tent with persons handing out information and they collected pamphlet after pamphlet about what it meant to be gay and how it wasn't any different from being straight, that they were not abnormal or disgusting, like the people with the megaphones would like them to think.

They accepted little trinkets from people of all Types handing them out to support different causes and soon, they were laughing and smiling together and Kevin really felt good to see his little cousin so happy to just be himself.


	96. CrochetED

Okay, show of hands: Who here thinks knitting is for little old cat ladies who have nothing better to do with their time? Anyone? Anyone? Oh! Everyone?

Yeah. Kevin thought so too.

Until he met Edd, of course.

Edd changed lots of things about Kevin. The way he acted, the way he dressed, ate, sat, even the way he thought.

Of course, this was all done without saying a single command. Kevin was just a complete sucker for the little nerd and Edd was good for him, good to him.

Anyways, Edd liked to knit. He knit, crocheted, loomed, all that jazz.

Were they waiting in line at the pharmacy for Kevin's allergy medicine? Edd was knitting a scarf for the chilly weather.

A long car ride warranted either crocheting or cross-stitch. Hell, he may even fucking throw out the needles and finger knit! Like, when the fuck did they come up with that?

So, Edd liked to do needlework and to be honest, he was pretty good at it. For birthdays and Christmas or just whenever, Edd gave his friends and family neat little trinkets or whole scarves that reminded Kevin of Mrs. Weasley, just not god awful burgundy colored.

Ed usually got something monster-themed; scarves with zombies in the stitching or little dolls that Edd was very proud of making. Eddy didn't have much of a theme, but more of a set color. Green played the big role in everything Edd made him.

Kevin couldn't count on his hands and feet combined how many things Edd had made him. He had scarves and socks and sweaters and little money pouches and a million other useless things that he kept because damn Edd was too cute and they were special to him.

Kevin had never really seen Edd make anything for himself, though. And that's where he got his best idea yet.

At the local crafts store, where it smelled year-round like those scented pinecones, Kevin paid twenty bucks to learn how to knit like Edd.

It started off pretty easy. Then they started adding in different stitches and patterns and damn it, knitting was hard!

But Kevin persevered. He was going to make Edd a scarf or sweater or hat if it killed him.

The little old lady teaching the class cooed over him like his grandma did when she came for Christmas and the young ladies taking the class with him flirted up a storm, but as soon as he dropped the b-word, (instead of backing the fuck off like he thought they would) Kevin became the talk of the knitting circle.

He got suckered into showing off pictures of him and Edd, trying hard to hide his blushing face as the women clucked about him. But he had a good time and he made a few lady friends and finally learned how to knit.

Getting the measurements for Edd's secret sweater was not as easy as the ladies said it would be. You can't just ask Edd his measurements without piquing his curiosity, but the ladies at the craft store just didn't understand.

But somehow, he'd managed and Kevin had his sheet with the measurements and little notes written on it set in front of him as his knit one, purl two. He listened to the ladies gossip about some work drama and he focused on the sweater, praying it came off at least looking generally like something you would wear.

At the end of the month, Kevin parted ways with the girls' numbers falling out of his pockets, promising to give updates on him and Edd and how Edd reacted to his gift.

The sweater was currently wrapped up in a box with a neat little bow tied by one of the women for him. Bows were an anomaly Kevin was not yet ready to face.

Edd had been having a tough time at work the same month Kevin was learning to knit. His manager was giving him a hard time, giving him crappy hours and hounding him on every tiny mistake. This ended up with Edd being stressed at home and many quiet dinners mostly eaten separately as Kevin sat in the living room and Edd in the kitchen.

When Kevin got home, and because he had an hour before Edd was scheduled to slink through the door, he set to work.

The living room was picked up and vacuumed; the laundry was started and subsequently switched over when it rang. The kitchen was swept and Kevin quickly ran the Swiffer over it and started the one meal he knew he couldn't mess up.

When the front door opened and shut, signaling to Kevin that Edd was finally home, he was just plating their dinner on two large plates.

"What's this?" Edd asked with a curious look on his face as he stepped into the kitchen, his bag still slung over his shoulder and his coat still on. "D-Did I mix up the date?"

"Naw. I just thought, ya know…" Kevin shrugged and gave a modest smile. He ushered Edd into a chair, taking the bag and coat and tossing them into the living room. "If the food sucks, we could go out or something."

"No, this looks and smells marvelous," Edd said, sniffing the air. "And you made all this?"

"Yeah, well, I thought, you do most of the cooking and you could use a break. Also…" Kevin paused for dramatic effect, smiling impishly as Edd leaned forward. "I have a present for you!"

Edd looked embarrassed. "I-I don't have anything for you."

"Pshh, I don't need anything. You already do so much. Think of this as just a small return." Kevin slid the neatly wrapped box across the table. "I hope you like it."

Edd carefully unwrapped the box, saving the expertly tied bow and popping the top off. He pulled out the sweater and his face lit up with a large smile. "Oh, Kevin! This looks wonderful! Where did you get it?"

"I made it," the red head said, picking at his nails with a smug look.

"You made this? Oh, Kevin! It's even more wonderful!" Edd stood up and rounded the table, planting a kiss to his temple. "I'll go try it on right now." Edd left the kitchen, meal momentarily forgot.

He came back a few minutes later, his smile still plastered on his face. It was a little snug in some places and may have looked a little awkward, but it was handmade and a gift from his special someone so Edd loved it and would cherish the sweater for a lifetime.

"This is wonderful, Kevin. I can't thank you enough. But, where on Earth did you learn to do this?"

"I took a class at the crafts store. The ladies there are actually pretty cool. They all gave me their numbers and want updates on you and me."

Edd laughed lightly. "It seems you make fans everywhere you go."


	97. Different but Good

Eddward suspected something was different about him since he was on the cusps of manhood. He was so sure something was different about that the other boys weren't experiencing, but for all his knowledge, he just could not understand what it was.

While all the other boys, even Ed, started talking about girls and their breasts, Edd was still focused on his books and grades and what college would make his parents most happy.

He shot up like a weed like everyone else. He was no longer the skinny, beanpole that ran around the cul-de-sac with Ed and Eddy. No, he was now the slightly fuller, beanpole who ran around the cul-de-sac with Ed and Eddy.

Edd started understanding things that children didn't. He understood voting and driving and what happened really when your dog died, not that he had a dog, but the principle still stood. (Everyone had mourned the passing of Wilber and even Rolf could not partake in his families Easter dinner that year.)

He didn't wear his hat near as much, but he still kept it in his messenger bag for emergencies. One could never be too careful and Edd still needed his security item when the time called for it.

The cul-de-sac boys' childhood crush on Nazz grew tenfold when she started budding. Edd didn't understand why Eddy and Ed wanted to sit and drool over their blonde neighbor when she tanned in her yard during the summer. She'd done that every year when they were kids and none of them paid any attention then.

In his Junior year, when he was studying human sexual health, Eddward began to believe he was gay. It would definitely explain why he didn't care that Nazz paraded around half-naked and why he couldn't care about any other girl no matter what they wore or looked like.

But, near the end of his Junior year, Edd noticed that he'd had not a single sexual thought out a boy either. He pondered that for the whole summer while Ed and Eddy ogled stolen Playboys, but he could come up with no reason as to why that was.

Once, during the night, Eddward perused the internet to conduct a few experiments of his own so maybe he could finally learn what exactly what wrong with him.

After browsing WebMD and many social hubs, Edd clicked on one photo of a naked woman. She was posed provocatively, to appease to the men and women who gazed at her from behind their own screens. Instead of the textbook arousal, he was slightly horrified and queasy and hurried to refresh his screen and never again bring that picture up. Next, he clicked on one photo of a similarly undressed and posed man. He never clicked on that again either.

It was in the very early hours of a Saturday morning, after hours of researching and experimentation that Eddward stumbled upon a word that he had only seen referred to in Biology when concerned with cellular and plant reproduction.

Asexual.

Hmm.

Now, Eddward was still a young man. He was new to the understandings of what sexual love was and he knew that he was just beginning and there was no need to label things so suddenly or even at all, but there was just something that sounded so right about that word, the way it made him feel like what he'd been feeling - lonely, left out, out of the loop – was just so insignificant and wrong and he'd just been a little confused because he hadn't know what it was he'd been feeling. It made him feel right.

Eddward used the rest of the morning to research what exactly asexuality was and then for the next year, he did not look up anything more and decided he would wait and let his body decide what it liked or didn't like.

That was the year that Edd noticed Kevin watching him. It was creepy at first, unnerving and unsettling, but soon Kevin had approached with an offer of friendship and Eddward, always eager to add a tally to his small group of friends, accepted graciously.

Kevin, though, didn't stop at being friends.

Before Christmas-break, Kevin proposed the idea of trying something more. He was very mature and talked extensively with Eddward in private and in the end he'd cracked a little and kissed the corner of Edd's lips.

There had been a flutter, but nothing beyond that. Eddward was flattered to no end that someone found him pleasing to the eye and wouldn't mind being seen attached to him, but as far as something more private, Edd couldn't say he felt anything.

He'd accepted Kevin's offer and by February, they were officially an 'item'.

Kevin was the perfect gentleman, considering he also played the part of the burly jock that got semi-decent grades and had to be put in line sometimes. He took things slowly and didn't push, though Edd knew that it was torture for him whenever Edd declined going further after a heated session of petting and panting.

The night before graduation, Eddward looked up that little a-word again. He browsed the purple website that popped up and read thread after thread in forum after forum, soaking in experiences and confessions of people from all corners of the world.

The night after graduation, when he and Kevin were eating at a nice restaurant that Kevin had saved up so they could attend, Eddward, after many hours of preparing himself to explain to Kevin what he was semi-sure of, blurted out a multitude of asexuality facts and Kevin stared at him like his head had exploded all over their pasta dinner.

"So, you don't like me?" Kevin asked, unsure, frightened, confused.

"No! No, no! Of course I like you, Kevin! I just…" Eddward took a breath to calm himself. "I just don't feel any kind of sexual attraction."

"Then why the hell have you been stringing me alo—"

"No! Kevin, please listen to me! When I say I have no sexual attraction, I mean not just to you, but to anyone. I like you and I love you very much, I would love for nothing more than to be with you for the rest of my life, even though most high school relationships usually end after a few years…" Edd was rambling again.

"I just mean that I have not felt sexually attracted to anyone or anything. Ever. And I don't think I will."

Kevin stared at his meatballs with a frown. He ran a hand through his gelled hair and it cracked and stuck up in unintentional spikes. "So you do like me…?"

"Yes, very much so." Eddward scooted his chair so it sat next to Kevin and he placed his hand on Kevin's knee. "I love you very much, but I've just been trying to figure some things out even before you offered your friendship to me."

"So what exactly is asexuality. I don't think I've ever heard of it," Kevin asked wearily. He stabbed at his meatballs and chewed one harshly.

"To put it very simply, an asexual does not experience sexual attraction. But that does not mean that we don't have emotional attraction. I do love you, Kevin. I don't know how to stress that enough."

"So you don't, like, want to have sex?" Kevin asked. His voiced had spiked slightly.

"Honestly? No. I've not once felt the urge to copulate with anyone."

"But you, ya know," Kevin gestured with his hand under the table. Eddward blushed and shook his head. "I've not really done that, but it doesn't specifically mean that all asexuals don't masturbate. There is a sort of non-sexual urge that people have to feel a sort of relief that masturbating gives them, but no, I've only done it once."

Kevin swirled his fork around the plate, picking up stray noodles. "I think I understand for now."

Eddward kissed Kevin's cheek. "I was very worried you wouldn't. I didn't understand at first either," he revealed. "I thought something was wrong with me when I was younger. I just felt something down deep that I was different somehow and I guess this was it."

Kevin nodded thoughtfully. "Well, I still love ya, dork."

"I love you too, Kevin."


	98. Lesson Two

Somehow, and Eddward was not exactly sure how she'd done it, the teacher across the hall had suckered him into taking over her shift for monitoring recess for the next week.

Now Edd had to stand outside in the heat, watching and making sure none of the kids impaled themselves on… Oh, he didn't know. A woodchip. Honestly.

Luckily, he wasn't the only teacher watching over the children. There was a cluster of second grade teachers near the other side of the playground, huddled together and gossiping about one another. Edd didn't think they were paying very much attention to the children.

The sun was high in the sky and beating down on Edd's head and arms. He was beginning to sweat and Edd did not like sweat.

He glanced at his watch. Only… fifteen more minutes of recess, then he could claim sanctuary in the air conditioned haven that was the elementary.

"H-Hey."

Edd startled and spun around. "Oh!"

"Eh… S-Sorry," Mr. Barr, the gym coach said awkwardly. "I should probably stop doing that."

"Oh, I just scare easy," Eddward said, just as awkwardly.

"So, anyways," Kevin said, grasping for conversation. "H-How has your day been?"

"My day?" Edd gave a sarcastic laugh. "It would have been much better if Mrs. Fincher hadn't slumped playground duty on me."

"Oh."

"I-I mean, because it's so hot and I burn easy you see, and," he gave a little laugh, "I really despise sweat."

"Well, you could stand under the pavilion."

"But that doesn't give me a very good view of the whole playground. I'm supposed to be watching over the children."

"There's other teachers to help."

Eddward gave another laugh, a little louder. "Those ladies are most likely gossiping like hens. You wouldn't believe the rumors they spread about each other. And to think I thought they were supposed to be friends."

Kevin shrugged. "So…"

"I guess the pavilion won't be so bad."

"Great." Kevin led the way to the covered pavilion where a few children were playing with basketballs and hula-hoops. A few of them shouted and ran towards the gym coach when they spotted him.

"Come play with us," they shouted gleefully. "Play basketball!"

"We wanna play jump rope," a few girls countered, hands on their hips defiantly.

"Hey, now," Kevin said, hands raised. "How about I play basketball and whoever wants to play jump rope can play with Mr. Vincent."

"W-What? K-Kevin, I—" Eddward tried to say before he was pulled away to skip and hop with a bunch of children.

"Just hold the rope, Mr. Vincent," a little girl said, holding one end to him. "And don't spin it too fast," she warned sternly.

Another girl took the opposite end and they both began to spin the rope. A group of children formed a line and one by one, they each took a turn jumping in and hopping for a few minutes before jumping back out of the spinning rope.

Eddward was slightly amazed. He remembered playing with a jump rope when he'd been their age. He'd barely been able to manage jumping in time with his own spins, nevertheless jumping into an already spinning rope.

The bell soon rang for recess to be over and for school to continue and Eddward, arms burned out and cheeks flushed bright red, was grateful that his class had gym next.

"So, did you have fun?"

Edd glanced at Kevin as they led Edd's class towards the gym. "It was definitely something else," he said with a smile.

"Sorry to dump you with the girls, though. They can get kind of picky when they play jump rope."

"Oh, not at all! It was very amusing, watching them skip. It reminded me of when I was little."

After giving the children time to use the water fountain, Kevin set up a game of kickball on one side and setting out small tile scooters and other miscellaneous toys on the opposite side.

"So," he said, plopping down on the stage steps that Edd sat on as he held his book. "What were you like when you were little?" he asked, all shyness seemingly extinct for the time being.

"W-Well, hah, you see, I was a really big nerd. I had labels on everything in my bedroom and around my house."

"You used a label maker? I didn't know people actually used them!"

"Yes. It was a gift from my parents one year and so I put it to use straight away. That must seem so dumb."

"No, not at all. It just seems like something you would do."

"You know, once, I counted all the ants in my ant farm and made a label for them too."

Kevin guffawed loudly, catching some of the children's attention for a few seconds. "Now that's hilarious."

Edd shied away, pulling his book over his face. "I'm sure you've done plenty of embarrassing things as well."

"Yeah, actually." Kevin scratched behind his ear. "In college, I had this friend, Rolf. He was a foreign exchange student from like Germany or something and he was in the agricultural department so he was always hanging around, like, the pigs and cows and stuff. Well, one day, in sophomore year, we ended up at the big barn the college had to hold the livestock after drinking a few at a bar and long story short, one of the pigs ended up in a tree for two days before anyone noticed. Like, it never fell or anything. It just sat there, eating leaves in the tree for two days. They had to call the fire department to get it down and no one ever found out who did it."

Edd stared at Kevin, slightly horrified and more than a little intrigued on how exactly one got a pig stuck in a tree.

"U-Um, well…" The ravenette gave a small chuckle. "T-That really does take the cake."

Kevin nodded, chuckling as well. "I wasn't really the most well behaved person back then."

"I can certainly tell."

"W-Well, what about you again? I mean, I really want to get to know you."

"Well, I'm still up for another date," Edd said. "We could go to dinner again and talk or do something else. I'm not very good at this kind of thing."

"Dinner would be fine. Same place or…?"

"How about you choose this time?"

"And the day?"

"This Friday is good for me."

"Me too."

"So…"

"So… It's a date?"

"It's a date."

The two men smiled and then Kevin hopped up, shouting after the kids, checking on their game and making sure none were injured.

Edd kept seated on the steps of the stage, smiling merrily to himself. He had another date with Kevin Barr!

Edd was just slipping his shoes on when there came a knock on the door. "Could you get that, Eddy!" He called from his room. He heard Eddy grunt from the kitchen and head that way. "Thank you!"

Edd took a deep breath after standing up and patting down his clothes, getting rid of any wrinkles. He glanced at himself in his mirror and worried his lower lip. He hoped he wasn't dressed too casually or too down for wherever Kevin was taking him.

"Your boyfriend's here, Double D," Eddy called from the hall in a mocking manner.

Edd flushed. He grabbed his bag and checked for wallet and phone before hurrying to the hall and then the kitchen to find Eddy eyeballing Kevin as he leaned against the counter with an annoyed look on his face.

"W-We haven't exactly come to terms with that, yet, Eddy," Edd whispered as he passed him. "H-Hello, Kevin! Would you like a drink before we leave?"

"Nah, I'm fine. Actually, though. We have reservations so we'd probably go before they give them away."

"Reservations? Oh, well then, we certainly should leave soon." Edd led Kevin toward the door, glancing at Eddy as he did. The short man just snickered and left for the living room.

In Kevin's car, the mood was less hostile thanks to Eddy's absence, but now it was the same awkward shyness that had dominated their first date.

"S-So, that was your roommate?"

"Yes. Eddy can be… Forward, I guess. But, he means well! Honestly, he does. He's a great friend, he's just weary of the people who notice me."

"Because of that… Ah, you said he said…"

Edd smiled and nodded, saving Kevin from stumbling anymore. "Because of 'those types', yes."

"S-So, I remembered you're a vegetarian," Kevin said quickly as he pulled up to a red street light. "I made sure the restaurant had those options."

"That's quite admirable of you, Kevin!" Edd said with a large smile. "Not many people remember that. Thank you."

Kevin blushed.

"So," Edd said, "You told me you wanted to get to know me earlier this week."

"Y-Yeah."

"Well, we could just sprout questions off? Or just say whatever fancies us."

"Yeah. That sounds good." Kevin pulled into a packed parking lot and hurried to run around the car after he'd parked to open Edd's door for him.

The teacher blushed and thanked him and then the two walked side by side into the low-lit restaurant. An attendant asked for a name and once satisfied, led the two to a small table amidst the chaos of a busy floor. It seemed everyone in town was out on date night.

The two ordered drinks and sat in a slightly awkward silence, glancing at the menu more often than each other.

"This all looks so fancy," Edd said after a moment. "How on Earth did you get reservations?"

"I-I called about a dozen times," Kevin admitted with a maladroit smile.

"Well, I have to say, this all looks very nice. Thank you."

Their drinks came a minute later and their waiter took their orders and so the men were left in awkward half-silence once again.

There was a small family, a mother and father and their tiny daughter, seated at the table directly to Edd's left and on Kevin's left (as they were seated facing each other across the small, round table), an older couple sat drinking wine and laughing over jokes that he didn't understand.

"My middle name is Marion," Edd said suddenly. He looked at Kevin with a faint blush. "I'm not ashamed of it, but it can be kind of embarrassing."

"Marion," Kevin said. "I like it."

"It's my mother's name. I really don't understand why they named me after my mother and not my father, since I'm a boy, but my parents are very eccentric so I try not very often to wonder about them."

"My middle name's Joseph. After my grandfather."

"That's a wonderful name," Edd said.

Kevin shrugged. "I never met him though, so I don't really know much for why they did that."

"I'm an only child too," Edd said.

"Me too. But, I have a cousin who's close to me in age so it was kind of like having a brother."

"That's wonderful to have such a relationship! I must admit, my own cousin was quite a bully so we didn't get along very well."

"He didn't know what he was missing," Kevin said as he took a sip of his beer. He nearly choked as he realized he'd said that aloud. "I-I mean—"

"No, that's fine." Edd laughed quietly, mindful of the other patrons, even if they weren't being very mindful on their own.

The little girl at the table next to them suddenly squealed and laughed, startling to the two young men. They glanced over and found her pointing at Kevin with a large smile.

"Mama! Mama! Look!"

The mother followed her daughter's finger and gave Kevin a small smile that all mothers gave when their child acted overzealously. "It's not polite to point, Maybel."

"But, Mama! He's red too!"

Little Maybel tugged on one of her own curly red locks of hair, still pointing at Kevin, who's red hair was cut almost into a buzz.

"That's right," he said, smiling at the mother and then the girl. "We both have red hair!" Maybel smiled proudly.

The mother smiled and got her daughter to turn back around and finish her dinner and Kevin smiled to himself, looking back towards Edd.

"She was very charming," Eddward mused.

"Could I add good with kids to my list?"

Edd gave another mindful laugh. "Of course!"

"Tell me about Eddy," Kevin asked, new found energy pumping through him. Little Maybel was the kick start he needed to really get the conversation juices flowing out of him. "I mean, how do you know him?"

"We grew up together. And a third person named Ed as well. We were Ed, Edd, and Eddy, though, Ed and Eddy mostly called me Double D because of my name variation."

"Is he always like that?"

"Yes. I'd like to say that he's not, but that would be a lie. He's always loud and very forward. But then again, he wouldn't be Eddy if he weren't."

"I bet. So, um… What do you do outside of school? I mean, you probably have lots of grading and stuff to do, but besides that? What do you like to do?"

"Well, I often find myself at any number of bookstores. I love to read and my bedroom is almost completely made up of shelves and piles of fiction and nonfiction."

"You could say that about my home, just with exercise equipment."

"We seem like complete opposites if you say that!"

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Oh, Heavens, no! Opposites are good!"

"What else?"

"Um, well, you may think this is crazy, but I like to knit and crochet and pretty much do any kind of needlework."

"Like, so you can make clothes and stuff."

"Well, I'm not very good at clothing, but I've made scarves and dolls and things."

"You should show me sometime. I've never met someone who liked to do that."

"Eddy makes fun of it a lot," Edd confessed.

"Well, that doesn't matter. I still think it's cool."

"Oh! I've been meaning to ask!" Edd had jumped in his seat with the sudden revelation. "How do you know Nathan? I mean, you two speak as if you've know each other for years."

"Yeah, we kinda do. We met in high school and sorta just clicked. And yes, he's always been like he is now."

"Oh, I don't think I could picture Nathan as anything other than open and loud. I think if he were to come to work shy one day, I'd think he'd been switched with robots!" Edd chuckled at his little joke.

"Yeah."

Their food came soon enough and the two ate, keeping the conversation flowing in between bites. Maybel said goodbye to Kevin as her family got up to leave and Kevin waved her off, smiling at the adorable little girl.

"You certainly have picked the perfect job," Edd commented as he watched Kevin wave. "You really do connect with children quite easily. I always find myself shy around my new students every year."

"Yeah, but it's only 'cause I was real friendly since I was a kid. My mom always said I made friends wherever I went."

"That's a good quality to have."

The time slugged by, their dinners slowly diminished, and after a while, they'd ordered dessert just for kicks.

"That was a lovely meal, Kevin," Edd said as they waited for their cake to arrive. "And a lovely conversation. I've learned so much about you!"

"S-So… When Eddy said… you know," Kevin took a quick last gulp of his beer. "About us being boyfriends?"

Edd sucked his lower lip between his teeth. "What about that?"

"Would we be moving too fast if I asked you right now?"

The ravenette flushed as red as the carpet and shook his head. "I actually would very much like if we were to name what we are right now."

Kevin gave a breathy laugh and whooshed out a relieved sigh. "Then I think this is a great second date."

"Me too."


	99. Part of Both Worlds

Kevin was on the beach. It was midnight; it was fucking cold; and Kevin was on the beach. But it was fine. He could rough it for a few hours. As long as he got to see him.

Kevin was laid on a towel on the golden sand, a tent set up just a few feet away and a smoldering fire giving off the barest heat from its smothered coals.

He was waiting for the signal.

The stars were pretty bright, he thought, as he stared up towards them. Back in Peach Creek, it was too smoggy to see them. Plus the lights from the city were too bright to get a good view. But, here, out in the middle of no-where, on the beach, the waves gently lapping on the shore and not a single cloud in sight, the stars were bright as could be and Kevin tried connecting the dots.

There was a sharp, high-pitched whistle and Kevin sprang to his feet, thoughts of constellations gone instantly. He scanned the shoreline, looking for a figure.

A head was bobbing in the water, surfacing for a few fleeting moments and then submerging for minutes at a time. There was another whistle when the head popped back up.

"Over here," he called, waving his arm. He dropped to his knees, dusting his hands over the grainy sand for the flashlight he'd been saving for just this occasion. He found it and flicked it on, flashing it out to the sea, scanning again for the head.

There came a third whistle, but this time it was lower in pitch and Kevin had never heard it that low before. His ears weren't ringing after listening to it.

The head came closer to the shore slowly, bobbing over the waves and the closer it came, the more clicking and soft whistling Kevin could hear.

Something was wrong.

Kevin met the figure a few feet past the shore. He was shin deep and the figure, now a being, a person, was wading up to their waist.

A large dark grey, sleek tail splashed gently as the waves pushed against it. The person, the human half, had a frown and stared up at Kevin with broken eyes. The person opened their mouth and emitted a soft whistle and then something that Kevin could almost for sure say was a cry.

The man knelt next to the merman, soaking his pants and shirt, but not caring. He couldn't worry about the cold when he was sad.

"What's wrong?"

The young merman frowned and took one of Kevin's hands in his own, lowering it below the water and placing it over his abdominal area. He whistled softly.

"Oh God."

Wrapped around the merman's abdomen was a small fishing net. Somehow, the merman had gotten himself halfway through the small hole, but it'd ended up getting stuck around his midsection. Now it rubbed against his skin, tearing at it slowly, causing a thick red ring around his body. It bled in some places.

"Come on, I have something to get that off." Kevin stood up, offering a hand to the merman and he carefully dragged him closer to the shore before skipping over to the tent and his bag of supplies. In one of the outside pockets was a tiny switchblade.

He showed the knife to the merman and tugged gently on the net so he could safely work the knife under it. The net broke after a good, hard tug and the merman wrapped his arms around his newly freed midsection, cooing and clicking wearily.

Kevin took the net with him, intending to get rid of it properly; somewhere far away from him and the merman.

After a few moments of licking his wounds, the merman whistled sharply again, vying for Kevin's attention once more. He scooted along in the few inches of water left, closer to the shore. He reached his hands out like a child.

Kevin took his arms, wrapping them around his shoulders so he could drag the tail over the sand while he tried to carry the merman as gently as possible towards the tent.

"How did you even get stuck, huh? That was real stupid of you. What if I hadn't been here, huh? You could have gotten hurt even worse."

The merman make a few clicking noises, as if he understood the chastising. He frowned sadly at Kevin, tentatively touching his wound and gasping.

"Well, don't touch it!" Kevin nearly barked. Ah, but he couldn't be mad. The poor thing was hurt and he needed attention. "I-I don't have anything with me. I'll bring something next time. I don't know if it will work. Or maybe… AH, I'll just wait."

Kevin draped a towel over the fish tail and then handed another to the merman who immediately began rubbing down his skin. Kevin rubbed the other towel gently across the tail, still mesmerized at the sleek, rubbery skin.

The merman made quiet, uncomfortable noises, gasping and moaning and suddenly, Kevin was rubbing two legs down and not one tail.

The newly formed toes wriggled and the ankles were rolled and the merman panted. "That always hurts," he said.

"But it's worth it, right?" Kevin asked with a smirk. "Now tell me, how on Earth did you, of all people, get caught in a net?"

The merman frowned stubbornly at Kevin. He tested his legs, lifting one and then another up as he sat on the first towel. He bent the knees and moved them around, getting used to them.

"It wasn't my fault."

"Oh?"

"If your fishermen didn't leave them in the waters, then other fish wouldn't get caught and I wouldn't have to help them."

"How does helping another fish end up with you caught in the net?"

"It was a dolphin. She was stuck right here," the merman rubbed his stomach. "She was pregnant and she was crying for her unborn calves. I heard her cries and came to help," he explained. "I pushed her from behind while she pulled forward and the momentum just pulled me right in. She bit around the net, letting me free from most of it and I swam here and waited for you."

The merman was done testing his legs, he motioned to Kevin and the redhead leant a helping hand, holding his shoulder as the merman, now a human in body, stood wobbly on his new legs. They stumbled into the tent and zipped it up, now truly alone.

"I knew you would be able to help."

"You shouldn't rely on me so much."

"But it's good to use your resources."

"Not what I mean."

Kevin mussed with the blankets, fluffing pillows and making sure everything was comfortable for the both of them.

"This is a lovely nest," the merman said. "It's very soft." He flopped onto the blankets and snuggled with a pillow. "Much better than the seaweed beds my people use."

Kevin chuckled under his breath. "You say that every time."

"And it's the truth, every time. You humans are very resourceful. Nothing like my father says."

"Speaking of daddy."

"He doesn't know I'm this close to shore."

"You mean, on shore?"

"He doesn't know where I am and that's that."

"So, Poseidon won't be creating a tsunami to hunt you down and possibly murder me?"

"That was one time, Kevin!" The merman cried indignantly. "And no one was hurt. It was the off season so not many humans were here in the first place."

Kevin settled down next to the merman, pulling a pillow under his arm so he could prop up comfortably and continue talking. "Still."

"Are you just going to lecture me about my father's behavior for the entire night? Or do you have anything else planned?"

"Well, I might have a little…"

The merman scrunched up his mouth into a small pout. "Your small talk is very boring, can we just commence?"

"Well, jeeze, if you're that excited." Kevin shrugged sarcastically and then rolled over so that he was now pinning the merman down with his body. He smirked and planted large kisses over the other man's face, making him laugh.

"You tease."

"I'd like to think you do too."

"Kevin?"

Kevin grumbled and muttered something unintelligible, tilting his head from his pillow just barely. "Huh?"

"What if I ever conceived?"

"What?" Kevin pushed his arms under his body, sitting up. He looked at the merman who lay under the many blankets beside him. He was staring at the ceiling of the tent.

"My people are what you call intersex. We are both female and male at the same time. But usually one gender dominates the other. What if I ever conceived?"

"Has any merperson ever conceived with a human?"

"Well, not that I've read. There's nothing in the archive in the palace."

"Then it won't happen."

"But that's just it. Just because I've never read about it happening, doesn't mean it can't really happen. What would you do?"

"I dunno…" Kevin plopped back down and rested his head on the pillow, begging sleep come quick.

"Kevin, I'm being serious! What if, because of our meetings, I someday bore your pups?"

"What even brought this up?" Kevin growled.

"A friend is having her first litter and I've just been thinking of children lately because of that." The merman scooted closer to Kevin, careful of his net wound. "Father's been pressuring me to settle down with a foreign royalty so he may expand his own rule. That's why it's been harder and harder to come to shore to see you."

Kevin rolled around, facing the merman. "Edd."

"He wants to send me away to a small pod in the North. There is a large island, your people call it Greenland. To have a barter system with their group would help father immensely, but…"

"If you don't want to, you shouldn't have to, and you don't have to," Kevin said simply. He stroked the soft, black hair on the merman's head. "And if you someday had my kid, well, then maybe I could take you home? There's more water inland, just not as open as the ocean."

"I don't think I could just leave the ocean, Kevin," Edd said sadly. "It would hurt too much."

"But it's not like I can just sprout a tail! You can form legs. It would be so much easier!"

"I was just wondering," Edd said, cutting off the conversation. He tugged the blankets tighter around him and buried his head on Kevin's shoulder.

The two fell asleep.

At dawn, the two awoke.

The sun was rising over the horizon, spreading it's warm red and orange glow past the thousands of miles of ocean and onto the tent and right into the eyes of the two young men.

As a particularly bright ray of light shone over Kevin's eyes, he frowned, in his sleep, and rolled, trying to escape reality for just a few minutes more.

Edd, the merman, was so buried under blankets that the sun couldn't shine in his face so he dozed in R.E.M. sleep for quite a while more.

Soon, the sun had risen high into the sky and Kevin would need to leave soon, as well as Edd would need to return to the sea before any beach roamers stumbled upon them.

Kevin stretched his arms towards the sun and smiled to himself. He always felt so relaxed and weightless after a night with Edd. Speaking of, Kevin cracked open an eye and saw just the tips of long, soft hair peaking from underneath the blankets. He laughed breathily and shook Edd's shoulder.

"We've got to get moving soon," he said quietly. "People are bound to start showing up soon."

"But it's so warm." Kevin watched as the blankets rustled and assumed that Edd was stretching and then curling back up.

"We can see each other again tonight."

"Will you have supplies to help my wound?"

Kevin had nearly forgotten about that. After spending time with Edd during the night, his loud moans and lovely cries had consumed his thoughts and he'd all but forgotten the red ring around the merman's waist.

"I'll find some ointment and some pain killers. The little white pills, you know." Edd nodded. "And you need to show up at your home. We don't need another tsunami."

Edd groaned. "One time, Kevin!"

The redhead leant down and pecked Edd after pulling away the blankets. The merman smiled and sighed contentedly.

"When will we meet?"

"As soon as the sun is down."

Edd sat up. "Then I should leave now. The palace is very far from here and there's no telling how long my father will keep me."

The two young men crawled from the tent, facing the morning sun and gentle breeze with large smiles and each took deep breaths of the fresh, salty air.

"I love you, Edd," Kevin said as the two walked towards the shoreline. Edd smiled and repeated Kevin. The two shared one last kiss and then Edd sprinted towards the water, trying to keep as far in as he could before his legs fused back together into the sleek, grey tail.

After he was done morphing back, he whistled sharply and high-pitched, waving at Kevin and Kevin waved back.

"Don't forget!" He called and watched as the merman bobbed and swayed in the water until finally he plunged beneath the waves and was gone.


	100. On the Other Side

Kevin worked hard in life. He wanted to live comfortably and so, after tons of overtime and extra jobs on the side, he did just that.

Kevin wanted to live comfortably in life, but he also wanted Edd to be happy too. So that's why, after scraping and pinching (and that one loan from Nathan that he will never talk about), he managed to save up enough money to install an indoor swimming pool. It was large and deep and the large ceiling-high windows surrounding it gave them a beautiful view of the forest they lived in.

Really, getting Edd to leave the sea was hard enough and he couldn't deny the merman water forever. Taking trips to and from the beach grew tiresome and tedious and neither was brave enough to say so in fear of upsetting the other. But either way, trips became fewer and farther in-between and soon, Edd hadn't been to the sea in some long months.

The large, claw-footed bathtub was nice and the creek was very fascinating, but neither had anything on the ocean; its large waves and endless miles of mystery.

The pool didn't really make up for it either, but it was deep and long and Edd was able to stretch out his fins.

Sometimes, Kevin joined Edd in the pool, as the merman fitted stones and underwater plants into their own little nooks, recreating his underwater home.

The pool was filled with salt water. Chlorine was no good for their purpose. It irritated Edd's skin and he had trouble breathing in it. Salt water was a must.

On days the sun was out, Kevin opened up the sunroof and let the sun warm the water in the pool and Edd sunbathed and the two just lazed around with large, happy smiles on their faces.

One evening, Kevin, who was in the large sitting-slash-living area, watching football and snacking while Edd prepared raw fish for himself and cooked, red meat for Kevin, Nathan casually walked in, plopping on the couch next to Kevin, grabbing a hand full of popcorn and commenting on the pass that the opposing team had dropped.

Kevin stared at the teal-haired young man, slightly weirded out and also just a bit more wondering how the hell he'd gotten in. Kevin had locked the door, after all. Or hadn't he?

"What the hell are you doing here, Nat?"

"Oh, hey, Kev!" Nathan said happily, a smirk splayed on his face. He had corn kernels stuck in his teeth, so he ended up just looking ridiculous. "Just chillin'. How 'bout chu?"

"I live here."

"Yeah. And it's a pretty swanky place. Have you seen that tree outside? It goes on forever!"

"Nat! I live here. You don't!"

"Can't a guy just hang with his best bud?"

"Nathan?" Edd popped his head in from the kitchen. "When did you get here? Would you like any refreshments?"

"Nah, no thanks, Sugar Lips."

"If you change your mind."

"Nat. Leave." Kevin shoved his friend in the shoulder in a joking manner.

"Can't we just take a dip first? I came all this way." He gave Kevin the same pout he gave Rave when he tried to guilt him into something. "Then I'll be out of your hair for the rest of the night so you and Double Delish can get it on." He wobbled his eyebrow suggestively.

"Edd's not in the mood to swim."

"Oh yes he is," Nat waved off, "I've seen that tail of his." Kevin stared at him.

"I mean, I've never seen one in person before, but I guess everyone has their own little secret."

"Nat…"

"Did you know that my cousin three times removed likes to dress up in giant fuzzy costumes? I mean, at least we still get to see Edd's face when he swims." He gave another smug smirk.

"What?" Kevin stared at his friend. Was he an idiot?

"It's okay that Edd's obsessed with mermaids. I was pretty into Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles when I was a kid."

Kevin bit back a heavy sigh of relief. Thank God for Nat's selective air-headedness.

"Well, er, see, we were about to eat dinner and all."

"Ah! Say no more. Don't let little old me ruin a romantic evening." Nathan swept an arm out dramatically, gesturing to himself. "I'll just let myself out."

"Like you let yourself in?"

"Just like that."

"Yeah, well, don't get lost," Kevin said with mock seriousness. He punched Nat's shoulder and the enigma that was Kevin's best friend exited as dramatically as he'd entered.

Edd popped his head back in the living room. "Did Nathan leave already?"

Kevin nodded. "Is dinner done yet?"

"It is. I was going to inquire whether he'd like to stay or not, but I guess that's pretty moot now." Edd gave a sheepish smile and led Kevin to the dining room table. An array of neatly sliced raw fish sat on one side while a nice, juicy steak sat on the other.

Edd hadn't yet become accustomed to the food land-dwellers ate. He preferred his fish, though he had ventured out and acquired a taste for fruit and vegetables, raw of course. Hot food just didn't sit well with him.

"This looks amazing, babe," Kevin said, pecking Edd's forehead. He sat before his food and Edd did the same in front of his own.

"It was nothing."

"No, really, you're better than my mom!" Kevin said between bites.

"Well, considering I had to learn everything from the beginning, I'll take that as a compliment." Edd nibbled on his fish. "Do you think we could go to the lake tomorrow? The man on the television said it would be cloudy with a high chance of rain. I doubt any humans would want to be out in that weather."

"Yeah, sure, babe. I could bring the tent and we could make a day out of it."

"And you won't bring your work?" Edd questioned with a tiny voice.

"Of course not," Kevin acquiesced. "We can sleep under the stars, just like when we first met."

"That'd be lovely," Edd said with a dreamy look.


	101. Get Your Head Back Under the Waves

It's almost impossible to hide a pregnancy from merfolk. Edd had learned that as a young child when young merladies and mermen tried to hide their stomachs from the elders. Nothing got past them though, as soon, their stomachs grew as the young ones inside of them did.

Edd had learned that birthing young outside of a marriage was blasphemy. The young parents were often scorned and their children taken away to be raised by the elders while the parents themselves were kept in isolation until they were deemed punished enough to have learned their lesson.

That's why, when he came home to the palace after one of his nights with Kevin, the human, Edd had a sick feeling in his gut. He'd not managed to inform Kevin of the impending arrival, but sure enough, by midday the elders would have informed his father and Edd would have much explaining to do when he was supposed to be saving himself for a royal wedding.

Would they punish him the same, ignoring him and keeping him isolated while his young were raised away from him? Or would they ignore the entire debacle until the birthing and then Edd would never see his children? Oh, what would they do?

Edd, as he swam the miles and miles from the shore to the palace, decided that he would be the one to inform his father that he had found someone (not naming any names or species) and he was happy and he would leave if he had to (though he really desperately hoped he never had to leave for good).

He wouldn't let the elders make a mockery out of his situation.

So, when the pointy tips of the palace's highest towers came into view, just past a long forgotten coral reef, Edd, with a heavy heart, but a determined mind, swam bravely right into his father's courtroom and greeted his father as he sat in his throne, going over his morning royal duties.

Edd took his seat in a smaller throne next to his father and kept quiet until the very last merperson had been seen and heard.

"Where have you been, Eddward?" The King asked; his voice deep and sounding a lot more demanding than it really was. "I haven't seen you since midday, yesterday."

"I was exploring."

"You do have an inquisitive mind. That's a good trait for a young prince."

"Yes, father."

"Anywhere in particular you were exploring?"

"No. But, father." Edd scooted in his seat, turning so he was facing his father with his body. "I have something to tell you."

"You've found a young royal, finally?"

"No, father, but please listen. I have found someone."

"If they are not a royal, then who are they? Surely not some bottom-feeder?"

"Certainly not!" Edd cried indignantly. "And don't call them that! The person I've found is wonderful and insightful and well-mannered. Oh, they are smart and offer so much for me to learn from them. Father, I've been with them and I plan on staying with them until the day I die." He gave his father a resolute look. He was not going to be deterred from his goal.

"Been with? Eddward! You've tainted yourself!"

"I've done no such thing, father. I've only loved the only person I can in this life. But if that's a crime, then yes, I have tainted myself."

The King, Eddward's father, grew red in the face, his beard twirling in the water as he bristled. "Who is this person? I demand to know."

"I can't tell you. For their safety and my own."

"As the King of this ocean, I demand to know, Eddward. Who have you been with?" The trident that sat leaning against the King's throne began to glow, despite the man who owned it not touching it. That was a definite sign that maybe Edd should cool his hotheadedness and calm his father down.

"I can't tell you," Edd said in a small voice, the one he used as a small guppy to get his father to melt in his hands. "You would kill them."

"Should they deserve it!"

"I'm with their child, father!" Edd said in a lower voice. He father silenced immediately.

"What?"

"I'm with their child. They will be born next summer, I'm sure of it. They don't know yet."

The old man's face fell. His eyebrows drooped heavily over his eyes and his mouth sagged into a sorrowful frown. "Oh, Eddward."

"But, I'm happy, though, Father," Edd said in his tiny voice. He put a hand up to his father's face, smoothing one of his cheeks gently. He smiled kindly at the old man.

"I want their child and I want them and I want a family with them. I've never wanted to be King. That job is too much for me."

Edd's father put a hand over his son's that was on his cheek. He sighed. "If you are happy… Even if you are not King, then… I must meet this person, though," he said with conviction. "If they are not right for you, you will never see them again and you will wed with a royal."

"I cannot guarantee you will like them," Edd said with a small smile although his eyes gave way to a hard look. "But if I must, I will find my way back to them and never see you again."

The old man couldn't take the threat and crushed his son in an enormous hug. "That's my one fear."


	102. The Littlest Mermaid

"A human?!" Eddy shouted. Edd slapped his hands over Eddy's mouth, almost immediately.

"Shh!"

Eddy gave out a loud, shrill laugh. "Oh God! That's too good! As if a goody two-fins like you would even be brave enough to let a human see you."

"But it's true, Eddy," Edd said with a hurt look. "His name is Kevin. I've spoken with my father and… Well, it went swimmingly, I guess."

"You're serious?"

"As I ever could be."

"You… had sex. With a human?" Eddy laughed obnoxiously again. "Oh, this just keeps getting better and better. Have you turned into a Siren, yet?"

"I am not a Siren, Eddy!"

"Double D's found love?" Ed asked as he played with the tiny fish swimming around his tail. "For real love?"

"Yes, Ed. For real love," Edd answered kindly. "And I'm going to have their child next summer." Edd smiled brightly. "And then maybe he will take me to live on the land with him. To be honest, I'm slightly afraid of that. I have no idea what the land is like, other than the beach."

"Will you leave us forever when you go to the land, Double D?" Ed asked, a large frown sagging on his face.

"Not forever, Ed. Of course, I will be gone for long stretches of time. The land would be my new home at that time. I'll always still come visit you and Eddy."

"So, are the kids gonna be some kind of half-human, half-merperson thing? Like, will they have fins or those other things?" Eddy paddled his hands in front of him. "Those things, you know."

"Legs, Eddy. Crabs have them. Honestly. And I don't know. I haven't thought about it until just now." Edd's eyes grew large. "What if they are human and can't breathe in the water? Oh! What if they cannot transform their tails into legs? Oh Lord!"

"You broke Double D, Eddy!" Ed cried, wrapping himself around Edd as the young prince began babbling to himself and holding his head in his hands. "How could you!"

"I was just wondering."

"No, thank you!" Edd cried. "Really, thank you! I should start wondering that myself and planning ahead. Thank you, Eddy."

"Yeah, yeah." Eddy waved off Edd's affections with a blush on his scrunched face. "So how did Daddy take it?"

"He tried to threaten to send me away to some foreign kingdom as punishment, but I talked him down and now he's only worried over my well-being."

"Double D's going away?!"

"No, Ed. I'm staying here until I see Kevin again."

"Can we come with you? I wanna see a human in real life," Ed begged. "Please? We'll be good!"

"Well, I don't see why not… Alright, fellas. If you don't mind a bit of a swim. The shore is very far away."

Eddy suddenly perked up. "Yeah, we gotta see if this human's good enough for one of the Eds," he said smartly. "And maybe he has something of value we could bring back?"

"Eddy, I won't have you harassing Kevin. Besides, I could just give you some gold if you're so interested. Father wouldn't miss it, surely," Edd said exasperatedly.

~0~

As the three Eds popped up above the waves, Edd pointed out the shining light that skittered across the beach and then wobbled and jerked towards them. "He has that so he can see me better," Edd explained with giddy excitement. "C'mon, fellas!" Edd took a deep breath and propelled himself forward suddenly.

Ed and Eddy glanced at each other, both excited and a little afraid and rushed after their friend. As Edd surfaced again, he let out a high-pitched whistle that Ed and Eddy recognized as a friendly calling-out. The light on the shore jerked some more and a faint call was heard over the waves.

As the sand on the bottom got closer and closer to the surface of the water, and Eddy felt more and more like he was just going to beach himself like the dumb whales, he saw as a man with legs came running up.

"Edd!" The human called. He stopped short when he saw the two additional heads bobbing in the shallow waters. "Edd?"

"I'm here, Kevin," Edd called, raising his hand. He sounded breathless.

"Who—?"

"His friends, idiot," Eddy said with an air of superiority. Like, this human should have known who they were, duh! He didn't understand that Kevin could only hear whistling.

The human crept closer and knelt in the few inches of water. "I-It's nice to meet you," he said awkwardly. He glanced repeatedly at Edd.

Edd smiled and nodded and Kevin ended up dragging three heavy merpeople onto land and helping them dry off so they could shift their tails into legs and offer human speech and conversation. Once Edd was able to communicate to Kevin, he introduced his best friends.

"Kevin, these are Ed and Eddy." He pointed to both his friends. Ed smiled his big, catching smile and Eddy just frowned, looking over this human man.

"So you're the human, Double D's been telling us about," he commented dryly.

"Er… yeah, I guess," Kevin replied.

"You're Double D's baby daddy!" Ed cried.

"Ed!" Edd cried, pitching forward as he reached for Ed's mouth to cover it."

"What?" The big merman asked. "Did I say something wrong?"

"I-I-I—"

"You're—"

"Jeeze, before we have a stutter contest, D here's pregnant and you're the idiot who knocked him up," Eddy pressed before any more half-sentences could be half-formed.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Kevin asked, now sitting heavily on the sand as he processed what he'd been told. "That time… And you were asking… Edd!"

"I was unsure as to how you would take the information," Edd said nervously. "Not always in our culture does a father agree with such news."

"So you thought I'd just dump you? Edd, if you're having a baby, my baby, I'm definitely keeping you with me! God, you're so dumb sometimes!"

"Yes, well."

"So what's this snazzy thing," Eddy asked as he poked and prodded the tent.

"It's a tent," Kevin answered. "Humans use it as temporary shelter for camping and stuff."

"What's camping?"

"Like, hanging out in nature."

Eddy glanced at Edd and made a sour face, pretending to gag. "Of course you would pick a dork as your mate," he said.

"Hey! I'm not a dork," Kevin defended.

"Don't fight!" Ed butted in. "Double D! Look at my legs! They're so long!" He lifted them up with his arms, falling onto his back and staring up at his feet, wiggling his new toes and laughing brightly.

"Yes, Edd. They're very lovely."

"So what brought you to bring your friends?" Kevin asked. "Not that I didn't want to meet them or anything."

"They became curious after I told them about my conversation with my father earlier today." Edd sighed. "It has been a very long day."

Kevin patted his shoulder, pulling the merman to lean on his side. "What were you telling Daddy?"

"A-About the baby," Edd confessed. "I did not wish to be shunned so I told him as soon as I got home."

Kevin's face changed dramatically from a calm, happy look to one of shock and confusion. He looked at Ed and Eddy for answers.

"People who have babies don't get to keep them," Ed explained. "Not unless they're married."

"And they get shunned from the pod," Eddy added. "No contact at all."

Kevin's skin paled and Edd patted his knee. "But it's okay. I've talked to my father and told him the situation. I won't be shunned," he said kindly and softly.

"You're really having a baby."

"Well, I did tell you that merpeople are intersex."

"But this is real!"

"Yes, very much so."

"Are you gonna get it on right here?" Eddy grumbled. "Those lovey-dovey eyes are making me sick." He stuck out his tongue and gagged. Ed laughed.

"But Double D's gonna be a mommy, Eddy!" Big Ed practically shouted gleefully. "We're gonna have little tiny baby Double Ds!" He wrapped his arms around himself in a happy hug.


	103. Lakeside in the Summertime

Kevin had just finished setting up the tent by himself. As soon as they'd arrived to the lake, the rain had already started and Edd was quickly shucking off his clothes and diving into the freezing water, popping back up with a satisfied smile.

Now Kevin was soaked and slightly miserable, but he did have a nice view of Edd whenever he decided to surface. Plus, the rain wasn't that hard and it was mostly letting up now anyways.

He lay in the tent, the flap open so he could watch Edd swim. He had a book resting on the air mattress beside him, left untouched because really Kevin wasn't much of a reader, but Edd ate them up as soon as Kevin handed them to him.

"Will you join me, Kevin?" Edd asked after popping up once more. "There are some fish near the bottom who are too skittish to communicate right now." Edd flashed a gap-toothed smile and splashed his tailfin above the waters. Kevin could only hear whistling and squeaks, but Edd was beckoning him with a finger.

"Alright. Give me a minute." Kevin sat up and tugged at his shirt. He heard Edd laugh and then another splash.

The water really made Edd happy. That made the red-head feel bad down deep in his gut. There were stretches of time when Edd never so much as cracked a small smile, but when he was in the water, splashing about and talking to fish, he was the happiest. Kevin shook images of a lonely Edd floating near the bottom of their pool out of his head as he pulled on his swim trunks.

The lake was freezing, but after jumping in, on Edd's command, he grew used to the water quickly and swam with the merman. The fish near the bottom soon ventured higher and Edd translated for Kevin after they were done for the day. The fish were cautious of human faces. They had sharp hooks that took away their family and left others in pain and fearful. But the human face who also had a fish tail was an anomaly to them. They weren't sure if they could trust him or not.

The sun floated across the sky and Kevin took a break from swimming to fix up some lunch for himself and Edd. The rain had ended and there was now not a cloud in sight, leaving only beautiful blue skies above them.

Lunch was followed with more swimming on Edd's part and a nap on Kevin's.

By the time the sun had fallen, Edd was worn out and was toweled off by Kevin while the merman huffed and puffed, his hand slung over his eyes as he tried to catch his breath from the exercise he'd gotten that day.

Kevin made a small fire outside the tent flap and the two sat in front of it, side by side, a blanket wrapped around them. Stories were told and laughs were shared.

The night lasted nearly as long as the day, with Kevin pleasuring the lithe merman and vice versa. They slept tangled together under heavy blankets, the smoldering coals from the fire giving extra warmth through the night until they burned out near sunrise.

Edd, while Kevin was still waking up, took the chance to swim for a few more hours. He floated atop the water on his back, basking in the sun and cooed loudly to Kevin, letting him know that he was content.

The fish in the lake made him tell stories of the ocean, a bigger water than their tiny home. They couldn't believe there was more to their little world than the occasional water snake or human face.

Kevin joined the merman eventually and a petting session (or a dozen) commenced with Edd cooing and squeaking loudly as Kevin nibbled on his shoulder and ran hands down his chest.

In the tent again, after one of the heavier sessions had ended, Edd panted and caught his breath and glanced at Kevin by his side. "You know," he said as he ran a hand over his stomach. It would start growing soon. "Merpeople can procreate two different ways."

"Really?" Kevin asked, more just to hear Edd's voice, not really interesting in the subject.

"Yes. It's very fascinating. As fish, we have no real sexual stimulation when reproducing. It's simply an act to provide offspring. One mate winds around another, attaches their claspers to their mate's oviduct and the sperm is transported that way; like in sharks and other fishes. Of course, then a shark only has either claspers or an oviduct, not both. Or, we can transform our tail into legs and copulate like humans.

"Not many merfolk like that idea. They think humans are inferior and prefer the less intimate version." Edd looked at Kevin fondly. "They're stupid."

Kevin glanced at Edd. "Can't blame them, though. They don't understand so they're scared. It's ignorance." He rubbed his hand gently along with Edd's around the merman's stomach.


	104. Time of your Life

Edd awoke from his dreams to a pleasurable aching in his lower abdomen. It pulsed inside of him and he couldn't help but grind his hips into the mattress as he was laid on his stomach. The plush material helped very little and it only made the ache more notorious.

All too soon Edd found his self hovered over the toilet, his face covered with cold sweat and his whole body shaking as he vomited into the porcelain bowl. He heaved once more, exerting himself and just feeling completely exhausted despite having just woken up.

He hated these days.

Kevin knocked lightly on the door and came in with a tall glass of water and some Pepto. Edd rinsed his mouth and took a large swig of the pink, gummy fluid, willing it to work faster.

"C'mon," Kevin said quietly. "Let's go back to bed."

"But work…" Edd said pathetically.

"Not in the middle of your Heat," Kevin chided. "You wouldn't let me work during mine, so you'll just have to suck it up in bed."

Edd let himself be led back to bed and he was met with all the provisions the two young lovers had gathered through the years waiting for him on the bed.

A hot water bottle was warming his spot in the bed and Edd curled around it. The electric blanket had been pulled out of the hall closet and was warming the entire bed and Edd took advantage.

Kevin handed him two symptom suppressants and Edd downed them with one of the many water bottles that sat on the side table next to him.

"We really should see the doctor, Edd," Kevin said as he tucked the blankets around the exhausted Omega. "You're Heats shouldn't hurt you like this. You shouldn't be throwing up every single time. Or be in so much pain."

"I'm just nervous," Edd confessed. "I fear they may say there is nothing to do but wait them out like I have been."

"But surely other people have sucky Heats like you? I mean, they definitely aren't a walk in the park, but yours are extreme."

Edd nodded. "I think I'll just sleep for now." The conversation ended at that and didn't pick up until noontime when Kevin wandered back in the bedroom with some homemade soup.

"Just take a few bites, Edd," he pleaded. "Just drink a little broth."

"I can't," Edd said. "It turns my stomach just smelling it." He had his nose pressed under the blankets. "I'll eat later."

"That's what you always say," Kevin huffed. "And then you don't eat for three days."

"I would just throw it up anyways."

"But you lose so much weight!" cried Kevin. "It's not healthy. Even if you do just throw it back up, you need to eat something. That," the red-head looked sternly at Edd, "That or I'm dragging you to the hospital."

Edd glanced at the soup Kevin was still holding. Then he heaved a heavy sigh and reached for the bowl. He took a tentative sip and grimaced as it hit his stomach like bricks and lay heavily at the bottom. He drank a tiny bit more and then handed the bowl back, curling in on himself as he tried his hardest to go back to sleep.

Downstairs, as Edd slept, Kevin was on the phone.

"They're not even regular. I mean, he gets them maybe every other month. Maybe. Sometimes it's every three months, but it's always really bad. He throws up and heaves and loses his appetite. Huh? Uh… I don't think so. I mean, he's always in really bad pain and so he just tries to sleep it off. That exercising crap does nothing."

Kevin listened for the reply from the other end. His cousin may be an Alpha, but he did have an Omega mate and so he thought he could use that as an outside source.

"But she doesn't get sick? I don't mean like just an upset stomach, Kev. I mean serious heaving and throwing up and intense pain in his abdomen."

"Nazz says to take him to the hospital so they can figure it out. She's not heard of a Heat that intense."

Kevin sighed. "But he's so scared."

"Just do it, Squirt. Then you'll have answers."

The Omega sighed once more. "Fine. But if he hates me, I'm blaming you. I'll talk to you later, bye."

So, Kevin would get Edd to the hospital if it killed him. That was his new mission for today.

Edd was still sleeping as the red-headed Omega crept into the bedroom. The clock on the bedside table read just past four. The emergency room would still be open until eight. They had plenty of time.

"Edd?" Kevin cooed softly, shaking the raven-haired Omega. "Edd, wake up, please."

Edd moaned quietly and rolled onto his back. He cracked open a heavy eye. "Yes?" he croaked.

"I was talking to Kev and he and Nazz said I should take you to the ER. Really, Edd!" Kevin crawled onto the bed beside him and ran a soothing hand over his arm, a safe spot during Edd's Heats. "And, well, I think we should. So come on. We're going," he said sternly.

Edd moaned again. "Could I take a shower first? I'm covered in sweat."

"Sure. But don't take long. I want to get there before the sun goes down." He helped Edd out of bed and to the bathroom, fetching clothes and an extra towel before giving him some privacy.

~0~

The drive wasn't very long. The enclosed space made the sweet scent Edd produced much more potent. Edd himself was curled in the front passenger seat, dozing as Kevin tried his best to hurry in case Edd needed to throw up.

The waiting room was crowded with multiple people of all Types, but Edd was the only Omega in Heat so they all stared as the two signed in and found seats in an empty corner, near the restroom.

Kevin pulled Edd's head down onto his shoulder, running hands over his arms and talking in hushed tones as some of the people continued to stare at the source of the tempting smell.

After almost an hour, Edd was called and Kevin had to rouse the sleeping man and lead him past the heavy oak door and down the hall where the nurse showed them into a small, private room.

She took Edd's heart rate, his blood pressure, height, and weight and told them it would be just a moment before the doctor came in.

The room was cold and Edd lay down on the bed, reveling in the cool temperature against his hot skin. Kevin mopped a little sweat off of Edd's brow with a tissue.

The doctor came in shortly after the nurse had left and immediately began asking questions as she skimmed a chart in his hands.

"So, Mr. Vincent," she said kindly. "What seems to be the problem? It says you've been having problematic Heats?"

Edd just nodded.

"He's real sick every time he gets them. And they're not at all regular," Kevin sprouted off, repeating everything that went wrong during Edd's Heats. "And we're just worried it may be something more."

"Hmm… Well, Mr. Vincent," the doctor said kindly. "It's not uncommon for Heat cycles to be uncomfortable or ill-inducing, but the severity of yours is certainly concerning." She flipped through the chart on her clipboard once more.

"I have heard of Omega's experiencing very serious illness and pain during their Heats, but it's very uncommon and usually can be fixed with a simple change in diet or exercise."

"But he—He's seriously ill right now!" Kevin exclaimed prematurely.

The doctor fixed him with a stern look. "I'm aware of that, Mr. Anderson, was it? Mr. Vincent's symptoms are not something that are just going to be overlooked. If you will let me continue…"

"Sorry, Ma'am."

"Yes, well, I'm actually a little concerned with Eddward's weight. Honey, you need to start eating. You're severely underweight for someone of your Type, height, and age. My chart says you're barely 100 pounds. Mr. Vincent, you should at least be 120 pounds, around 140 would be preferable. Now, if you were to start gaining a little weight, we may see a difference in your symptoms during your Heat cycles. I'll draw up a diet plan if need be, but you need to promise that you will be gaining weight and I want to see you at least ten pounds heavier at your next appointment." The doctor scribbled something down. "I'll be back in a moment," she said, excusing herself. "Then we can plan an appointment for Mr. Vincent."

Kevin sat back down next to Edd's head after the doctor left the small room. "I told you, you needed to eat," he huffed.

"Maybe I'll try a little," Edd said pitifully. Kevin huffed again.

The doctor came back a few minutes later with a freshly printed out dietary plan that was sure to have Edd gaining the necessary weight should he decide to follow it correctly. Kevin slipped it into his messenger bag and thanked the woman as she led the two out and towards the receptionist who set up an appointment for the next month.

~0~

"He just needs to follow this diet plan and the doctor said it might help the symptoms," Kevin explained to his cousin over the phone as he tinkered with the toaster at the kitchen table. The phone was on speaker so he wasn't balancing it between his ear and shoulder while trying to wind tiny screws into the toaster. "And, it's not, like, foreign stuff. We already eat half the stuff on the list; he just needs tiny bit large portions."

"You know, I don't think I've ever heard of doctors wanting a patient to gain weight," Kev commented off hand. "It's like, nowadays everyone's all obese and stuff."

"Yeah, well, there're lots of underweight people too," Kevin corrected. "And I guess Edd's one of them. Just, as long as he starts eating more, hopefully his Heats won't be so bad anymore."

"And then you can do the do."

"Kevin!"

There was a crackled snickering that passed through the phone speakers and Omega Kevin's ears turned a bright red. "Oh, don't get all upset," Alpha Kevin nagged. "We all do it so don't be all embarrassed."

"J-Just shut up already," Omega Kevin snapped. "Besides, we aren't talking about that!"

"Yeah, yeah. Hey, I gotta go. Nazz is calling me. Bye, bro."

Kevin sighed. "Bye, Kev." The Omega glanced at the time and decided he could continue with the toaster at another time. He should start dinner, one of the preapproved meals from the diet plan.

Edd had been doing pretty well. He ate everything Kevin made, but sometimes had issues with portion sizes. Kevin fussed and put an extra helping of rice or another pork chop onto the raven-haired Omega's plate who would then just end up pushing most of it around, claiming to be full and Kevin would be forced to pack it up for lunch the next day.

Of course, Kevin couldn't control what Edd did or did not eat during lunch when they had school or work, but he did make sure to pack them and hoped that Edd would try his hardest to eat everything.

And then, by next month, as Edd's Heat hit him once more in a confusing mess of pleasurable aches and stomach churning illness, Kevin dragged him to the emergency clinic and just like last time, he and Edd were the object of attention due to Edd's sweet pheromones.

After a nurse had them in one of the back rooms, the doctor came in with her clipboarded chart and kindly smile. "Well, it looks as if you've put on some weight, Mr. Vincent!" She said happily. "Exactly six pounds and four ounces. Not what I had preferred, but still very good. I'm sure Mr. Anderson has been taking very good care of you."

"He's been very insistent, yes."

"Yes, well, insistence is good. Well, it seems you're coherent, this time around. I don't think you spoke two words last month."

"I wasn't feeling my best," Edd admitted shyly.

"Yes, well, that can be dismissed. Have you noticed any difference in your Heat this month?"

"Other than the fact that the cramping and my stomach has settled after the first day, I'd say it's been a pretty normal Heat, at least for me. Some Heats are better than others."

"Well, hopefully, once you've gained the necessary weight, these symptoms will have dramatically changed and your Heats will no longer be so punishing. They are cycles that let your body know you're at your most fertile and it's supposed to be a pleasurable time for mated Omegas," the doctor listed off knowledgably. "And maybe, once they're on the right track, you and Mr. Anderson here can start having children?" She smiled kindly.

Kevin flushed and started stuttering and grasping for words while Edd just sat in quiet embarrassment.

"Now, if you keep following that diet plan, you should have twenty pounds on you by your next appointment. Let's have it in two months next go around so we can have some time to let your body adjust, hmm?"

~0~

Edd ate the last bite of rice that Kevin had spooned onto his plate. He'd had to power through the last couple of bites and force himself to finish everything on the plate. The extra food being forced on him was not very fun. Edd never really ate that much since he was a child and as an adult he continued his bird-like proportions. But now he was having second helpings and Kevin was having none of it when he tried to skive off meals.

Gone were the days of take-out boxes full of half-finished meals from date-nights past. Kevin even threatened to take away date-night all together if Edd didn't start eating his entire meal when out in a restaurant or even at home. So Edd powered through his meals, feigning exhaustion afterwards so he could lay in bed and hold his stomach as he felt just too full and too sluggish to do anything more.

Gaining weight was tough. He hated it, actually. Edd had never been a vain person before; he'd never worried he was too thin or too thick, but now that he was forced to eat he couldn't help himself from looking longer in the mirror, running his hands over his stomach or calculating how his waist and thighs were fuller.

"That diet is working very well," his doctor told him after a few months of constant supervised meals. Kevin smiled and patted Edd's shoulder. This appointment had been scheduled for Edd's Heat but it had not shown up after being regular for a few months and Kevin's would be starting soon. "You're just about at a perfect weight and BMI. Have you noticed any differences in your Heats lately? Less cramping, more cramping? Nausea?"

Edd shook his head. "Less cramps, but I have back pain still. And the nausea isn't as bad as it used to be."

"See, then?" The lady smiled. "A little weight gain and everything just about went away! You see, problems aren't just caused by excessive weight, but too little of it as well. I'm glad we could solve your Heat problems just by changing your dietary habits." She checked over her charts once more and smiled bigger than she had before.

"It also looks like I've some special news for you two."

"What is it?" Kevin asked, squeezing Edd's hand with worry.

"Mr. Vincent's just over two months pregnant."


	105. Spam Dump

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bits and pieces of unfinished KevEdd - more words than the first three Harry Potter books (not together silly).

Eddward Vincent paced through his large home, checking the walls, cabinets, wardrobes, and everywhere in between for the little yellow sticky notes that had his daily chores with his parents' love written on them.

Some of the notes were old. The adhesive was fading and Eddward had to tack them up with push pins or tape (even though Mother had the eyes of a hawk when it came to adhesive resin). And still more were connected by rings to form a makeshift flipbook of chores.

After his final duty was completed, Eddward sat down to admire the shiny kitchen before having a cup of tea before going out to play with his two friends.

* * *

(Latino!Eddward

Once, while Kevin waited for his boyfriend to finish the household chores set out by his parents via sticky note, he noticed one with foreign script.

"Hey, Double D," he called, not knowing exactly where the boy was. "What's this say?"

Double D scampered into the kitchen, were Kevin was seated. "What does what say, Kevin?"

Kevin held out the sticky note. "It's not in English."

Eddward scanned the note. "Oh, it says to not forget to do the dishes and mop the floor."

The capped teen gave a look at the other boy. "What language is that?"

"Spanish, of course! Haven't you taken that language these past three years, Kevin?" Eddward chided. "You should know what it says. These words are elementary."

"Just because I took the class doesn't mean I actually listened. And hey! since when did you speak Spanish? You took Latin."

"Because I'm Latino, Kevin. It's my native language." Double D hurried to clean the dishes in the sink so he could continue hanging out with his significant other.

Kevin, though, had other thoughts. He sidled up to Eddward, ready to put the new information to good use. "So," he said casually, leaning against the counter next to Eddward, "what else have you been holding out on me?"

Eddward hummed as he scrubbed at the plates. "Hmm? What do you mean? You never asked if I could speak Spanish so I never intentionally withheld the information; it just never came up."

"Are you Spanish?

* * *

KevEdd, Rev!KevEdd

The portal that had opened up in front of Eddward as he made his way home with his two best friends had appeared for mere seconds.

Everything happened in a flash.

One minute he was walking down the sidewalk with Ed and Eddy and the next, he was being pulled forward by some invisible force, through a spatial hole.

* * *

One day, when all the Eds gathered their neighbors into the middle of the circle drive of the cul-de-sac they lived in, they all assumed it was for another scheme to steal their money, but when Double D stepped up to speak, they listened. He usually had something competent to say.

"W-Well," he started, wringing his hands in front of him as he spoke, "I thought it would be of upmost importance to inform you all that a relative of mine is coming to visit my family and will be staying for the summer."

"Another crazy-germ-fearing Ed-boy is coming to visit?" Rolf asked.

Double D shook his head nervously. "Oh, if only, Rolf," he said. "M-My cousin is nothing like me and I thought it would be best to warn you all of his impending arrival."

"When's he coming, dude? When can we meet him?" Nazz asked, stoked that another kid was coming. Maybe they liked rock climbing?

"H-He is due to arrive tomorrow morning."

Kevin, who felt it odd that Double D would be so worried over something as trivial as family coming to stay, spoke up, "Is this another Eddy's-brother incidents?"

The cul-de-sac children silenced. Just a year before, they had all met Eddy's older brother and found out what a horrible person and brother he was.

"N-Not exactly, Kevin," Eddward said; his knees were knocking now. "T-Though he is of similar stature.

"What's his name, Double D?" Nazz asked nicely. She offered the boy a smile.

"H-He and I were named after each other so his name would be Eddward as well."

Sarah and Jimmy laughed at the coincidence, but everyone glanced at each other, wondering what this new Eddward could be like that made their Double D so worried.

Kevin left soon after that, but couldn't get this new Eddward out of his head. He'd have to wait for morning, but if this new Ed turned out to be as much of a dork as Eddy's brother, he'd have to pound him for Double D.

A slick, black car pulled into Double D's lot and the children of the cul-de-sac all watched from the safety of their homes as a tall, lean boy stepped out of the back seat. He had the same ski hat over his head as Double D, but more of his hair was peeking out from under it than Double D's. Two dog tags jingled around his neck and he held a scowl on his face as he looked at the home he'd be staying in.

Two adults also stepped out, Double D's parents, and the three entered the house. The cul-de-sac was quiet once more.

Ed and Eddy were the first to venture out, hurrying over to their friend's house.

The two boys stepped into the Vincent house and weren't seen again for more than an hour when the two Eddwards followed them out.

By then the other children had come outside. Sarah and Jimmy were playing in Sarah's front yard and Rolf was busy on his mini-farm. Nazz dragged Kevin over to the Eds, bent on introducing herself and possibly gaining a climbing buddy.

"Hey, dudes!" She called. "Is this your cousin, Double D?"

It was remarkable how the two related each other. Both had the black ski hat and blue eyes. They wore similar colours, red shirts and purple pants. One of the only defining differences was the height. New Eddward was much taller than Double D, by more than a foot for sure.

"Oh, y-yes. T-this is Eddward, Nazz, Kevin."

Eddward nodded his head towards Nazz, but he stared at Kevin and smirked. He had a real 'bad-boy' aura around him.

"What?" Kevin spat, not liking the vibes that seemed to slide off the boy like grease.

"Nuthin', pumpkin."

The ginger sent a glare that could curdle milk. "Don't call me that, unless you want a black eye," he threatened. Nazz held his shoulder.

"So, Eddward, do you like rock climbing? I'm always looking for a buddy."

"No. I'm a swimmer, little lady.

* * *

One of the things that Kevin loved to tease Edd about was his culinary skill. As a child who grew up mostly on his own, of course Eddward would learn to make his own meals. And as anal retentive as the boy was, he surely would have read a cookbook or two, picking up his own twist at cooking.

* * *

Edd is harassed for being Latino

(Edd's mama from Portugal, papa from Chile)

"Mexican."

"Fuckin' alien."

"Go back to your fuckin' country, spick!"

Even though Eddward wouldn't let himself react to the names and comments that followed him around in the halls of Peach Creek High School, he couldn't help but feel in the depths of his vast mind, a terrible hurt caused by those who were hateful for no other reason than to spite others.

He was called every derogatory name in the book, and then some colourful substitutions. Eddward knew he was not an illegal immigrant; he spoke perfect English as well as the Spanish he grew up with.

* * *

Hogwarts!AU Slytherin!Kevin, Ravenclaw!Edd, Gryffindor!Eddy, Hufflepuff!Ed and Nazz

Ever since Eddward Vincent had been sorted into Ravenclaw, the other students had found their common room to be much more organized than it had been since before he'd ever shown up.

All the shelves, reaching up to touch the tower ceilings, each had labels of their contents. The books were alphabetized and colour-coordinated. There was significantly less dust and not a single Ravenclaw had so much as sneezed since the hat-clad First Year had joined them.

* * *

Reverse!Kevin/Regular!Edd

Really, though they were cousins, the boys sure looked similar.

Kevin and his cousin, Kevin, and Eddward, and his cousin, Eddward (due to the very coordinated naming of four sets of parents), all lived in Peach Creek and attended the same high school.

Kevin Barr, the older, more athletic of the Kevin cousins, lived in a cul-de-sac with Eddward Vincent, the younger, more academically gifted of the Eddward cousins while Kevin Anderson and Eddward Vincent (the two boy's father's were brothers) grew up down the road in another suburb.

The four boys met young and the two younger cousins and the elder ones split to play with their respective age group.

Kevin and Eddward, the youngest, would play indoors, with puzzles or whatever challenging entertainment they could find while their elder cousins played sports with the other older children.

As they grew, the four boys grew more apart from their cousins, sticking more with their friends, Kevin with Eddward and Eddward with Kevin.

Eddward Vincent, the younger, became known as Double D, by his friends Ed and Eddy. With the two additions, the Eds became a grand total of four, causing much confusion between the children and even the adults. It was Eddy who came up with the moniker. It was nothing special, just a point out of the spelling of his friend's name.

Eddward Vincent, the elder, became known as just Edd, not letting his own friends give him a childish nickname like his cousin had.

Kevin Barr grew into the name Kev, mostly due to his friend Nazz's own obsession of slang use, while Kevin Anderson simply stayed Kevin.

Now, while the boys may have looked similar, there were many, many differences one could and would point out.

One, the elder cousins were taller. Of course, being older would give them a certain height advantage, but the younger cousins were also a bit short for their age, adding into the difference in height.

Second, the hobbies of the cousins consisted of (for the younger) tinkering in mechanics and alphabetizing their carefully labeled bug collections and (for the elder) swimming and keeping their equipment in tip-top shape.

* * *

Eddward stared dubiously at the red-headed boy sitting in the front row of class, pencil out and papers stacked neatly on his desk.

Carefully, slowly, Eddward inched towards his own seat, not entirely sure what in the world had possessed Kevin Barr of all people to sit in the front row, right in front of the teacher!

Sliding into his seat quietly, Eddward began his motions in taking out his strenuously organized notebook and pencil case. When he sat back up, he found himself staring at Kevin, except it was not Kevin. It was not-Kevin.

Eddward stared at the boy with Kevin's face and the boy with Kevin's face stared right back at him. They both leaned in a bit and then jumped back, nearly falling out of their seats.

The teacher coughed and stared class, but not before introducing their newest arrival.

"This is Kevin Anderson, everyone," the man said. "He's new to Peach Creek so let's show him our pride."

Kevin Anderson, not Kevin Barr. The two looked so similar, though! But then again, Kevin Anderson was wearing a Quiz Bowl hat, much unlike Kevin Barr's baseball cap. Maybe this Kevin was more fitted for academics?

Eddward examined the new student all through class. He took careful notes, though not as careful as Eddward would have. His glasses, taped on the bridge many times over, kept being shoved up his nose as the boy looked up and down repeatedly. And after class, the new Kevin slipped his messenger bag over his shoulder and hurried out with his head down.

It wasn't long before Eddward saw this new Kevin again. They shared the same core classes, all advanced, thank you very much, but each time the two made eye contact, it was never for very long before Kevin broke it and looked away or back at his desk.

At the end of the day, just as Eddward was putting the finishing touches on his history notes, Kevin Anderson finally snapped and slammed a hand onto his desk.

"Alright! What's up with this? Why did you follow me here?!" As soon as he'd said this, Kevin seemed to shrink back, unsure if he should flee or stay and continue to confront Eddward.

The smacking noise that Kevin made had scared Eddward nearly out of his seat and he'd snapped his head up, wide-eyed and frightened as Kevin Anderson spoke harshly to him.

"I-I am unsure of what y-you mean," he said after he'd gotten his wits about him.

Kevin took a deep breath and puffed his chest slightly. "Y-You know what I mean. You followed me all the way here just to torment me!" He was now pointing a finger at Eddward who did not very much like that. It was very rude to point, you know.

"It's very rude to point, thank you," Eddward said. "And to reply, I still am at a loss as to what you are talking about." He collected his own messenger bag and stood up, keeping the desk between them.

"Y-You—You!" Kevin seemed to be having trouble with his words as he fumed silently. "You know what I mean! You're a bully and I've had it with you!"

"Bully!?" Eddward thought back through the entire day, trying to figure out if he had at some point been rude or intimidating. He came up short. "B-But I don't recall… I-I couldn't possibly have threatened you in any way! I've not spoken to you until now."

Kevin seemed to think upon Eddward's words for a moment.

"I-In fact, I don't think I've ever met you until just now. A-Actually, I mistook you for someone I know when I first saw you this morning," Eddward continued, just in case Kevin would lash out again.

"If you're not Eddward, then who are you?" Kevin demanded.

"I-I am Eddward!" Eddward squeaked. He'd never been accused of not being himself before.

"Ha! See?! I knew you followed me! Stop playing stupid then! I'll get the principal involved if you don't leave back to Blueberry Blueway!" Kevin was pointing again and trembling slightly.

Eddward crumbled. He didn't want the principal involved in anything. He had a clean record to uphold and there was no telling what this new Kevin was trying to do.

"I-If I may suggest," he tried, putting his hands up, "Why don't we inform each other of what it is that is really happening. You see, I've never been to Blueberry Blueway, I've lived in Peach Creek for nearly my whole life."

Kevin seemed to deflate as well. "You look exactly like him, though."

"I'm sure there are bound to be a few people who look similar; statistics say there are only so many random variables that can be played when a human is being created."

"Then if you're not Eddward, but you are Eddward, who are you?" Kevin dumped his bag on the ground and sat back down. "God, I'm so confused!" He scrubbed at his face and sighed.

"W-Well, I'm Eddward Vincent, I would like to say it is nice to meet you, but I don't think we've met under very good circumstances."

"Yeah, um, I'm Kevin, Kevin Anderson."

"Now, you said you knew another Eddward, is what I've come to understand. And this Eddward has been a bully to you and he looks similar to myself, is that correct?"

* * *

The thing was both Kev and Eddward did not like their smaller partners to interact with each other. Kevin didn't like when Edd studied into the night with Kevin and Eddward disliked it when Kevin tinkered on his robots with Edd.

But also, Eddward was Edd's older cousin, therefore

* * *

Alpha-Omega

The Alpha, Kevin, was very gracious for letting Eddward and his pup, Jim, into his pack with open arms. Eddward was given a nest of his own where he could look after Jim without worry. In return for the hospitality, Eddward helped out the best he could until he learned the new rules of his new home.

Jim spent his days in his mother's nest, sleeping like all cubs did when they were so young. Eddward would come back from helping the other breeders throughout the day, checking on his child. The maternal instincts drove him every hour towards his new nest that was snuggled down into the hallow base of a tree behind tangled roots.

Kevin, as the leader, spent his days after Eddward and Jim regained their health, executing and supervising hunts or overlooking the goings-on of his pack to make sure they were running as a unit.

One day, as Kevin made his rounds, he caught sight of Eddward helping a few breeders cure the meat from a recent hunt. Slowly, the Alpha made his way to the small group of underdogs. He smiled kindly at them, not wanting to scare them, and he watched Eddward work hard, not noticing Kevin at first.

One of the breeders next to Eddward bumped his arm and the shorter man glanced up and started. "O-Oh! Kevin! What a pleasure to see you!" He finished packing a piece of meat into the salts and he cleaned his hands off and stood up. "Is there something you needed of me?"

"No, I was just checking on everyone and I noticed you here so I, erm, decided to see if you, uh… Needed help?"

The other breeders tittered and giggled quietly and Kevin felt his defenses rise. He sent them a low growl.

"Oh, well," Eddward wrung his hands, suddenly shy and timid. "I'm sure we've all got the curing under hand. And it is almost finished anyways. It was very kind of you to offer your help. Nathan never would have done that."

Kevin growled at the name of Edd's former Alpha. The recognition of another alpha not loyal to his own pack was instantly took as a threat as he growled, startling Eddward again.

"O-Oh! I just meant—! Nevermind." Eddward stooped down to help finish up the curing and Kevin hurried off, berating himself all the way to his den, telling himself he would go to Eddward's own den later on to apologize.

* * *

Marion had gone too far this time! Way too fucking far! Kevin felt his whole self shaking as he paced in the living room of his home. His mother was sitting on the couch her son strode in front of. She had a first-aid kit open on her lap and she was pressing alcohol onto a scrape on Eddward's cheek. The dork was pressing an ice compact over his left eye so the swelling wouldn't get out of hand.

"I told you he was a bad guy," Kevin growled to his mother. "He beat up his own cousin! I mean, who beats up Edd? He's too adorable!"

Kevin's mother just shook her head with a tiny smile. "While I have to agree that Edd is quite adorable, that has nothing to do with how Marion has acted. Eddward, honey, have you told your parents? I'm sure they would do something to make sure Marion doesn't hurt you again."

Edd shook his head. "N-No. I'm not sure why…"

Kevin sighed and flopped on the couch next to Edd. "I'll say something if you want me to. I'm sick of Marion thinking he owns everything and can get away with anything."

Eddward smiled a bit at Kevin. "That would be very kind of you, but I don't want to worry Mother or Father. They have enough stress from work without having to worry about me. I can take care of myself. I have been."

"Edd, honey, they're still your parents," Kevin's mother said. "They still want to know if something is bothering you even if they don't seem like it. I'm sure your parents would want to know that Marion has been hitting you."

Edd frowned, which confused Kevin. The red-head frowned as well. "What?"

"They didn't do anything when Marion hit me when I was little," Edd said. "It only stopped when we moved here, further away from Marion and his family."

The two Barrs glanced at each other.

* * *

The next day, as Kevin sipped coffee in the mega-chain shop, perusing his new free-time to browse for openings, Kevin spotted Eddward again.

At first he was amazed to see the same man again in such a big city; he usually only met people once.

The blind man had his cane and glasses still. A black knit-hat was on top of his head, but it was a bit lop-sided and the black hair underneath was a bit tangled. He wore a red shirt underneath a brown, button-up argyle sweater vest. He wore a loose tie and long, skinny pants. At his side, an alert dog walked, stopping and moving ahead, leading his human.

Eddward the blind man stepped up to the counter and jovially ordered a chai green tea. The dog led him between the chairs and tables to a booth along the wall and Eddward sat down, giving the animal a lavish pet and biscuit.

Kevin watched all this, as did a few other nosey patrons. On a whim, he decided to forgo applying for jobs and socialize.

"Hey," Kevin said as he moved tables.

"Hmm?"

"I-It's Kevin, from yesterday. I-I don't know if you remember…"

"I remember! I tripped you. I apologize again for that. I'm not very coordinated." Eddward smiled at Kevin and motioned for him to sit. The dog at the man's side perked up and Kevin stared at it a bit cautiously.

"Jim is harmless," Eddward said. "He's just very curious sometimes. He's still young."

"Yeah."

"Mm-hm."

The two drank from their cups. Eddward had a book in front of him and the only thing Kevin could guess from it, since he couldn't understand the Braille, was that it was long.

"So, you like to read?"

"Oh, yes," Eddward said brightly. "It's one of my favourite past times. Do you read?"

"Uh, not really. I mean, if I have to, I guess."

"Oh, that's fine. Not everyone likes the same things. But let me guess. You're a movies guy?" Eddward gave Kevin a tiny smile.

"Yeah. How'd you know?"

"I don't think I've met a single person who doesn't like a good movie."

"What are you reading?"

"Oh, it's

* * *

Blind!Edd

Kevin heard the dog before he saw it. That's how it usually went, though, right? You always heard the dog before you saw it; barking away at something, a cat or a squirrel or a person. Stupid dogs.

But when Kevin rounded the corner, he was shocked to see not a dumb dog barking up a tree, but a dog lying on the ground next to a person. The canine was whining and yipping like a puppy, its head resting on the chest of a man splayed on the sidewalk.

Kevin jumped into action, rushing to the man, careful of the dog who growled lightly as he got near. The red-head took light steps, easing around the dog. It seemed to understand he meant no harm and wagged its tail, yipping sadly once more.

Reaching out, Kevin shook the man's shoulder. "H-Hey, buddy? You okay?" The man's eyes were closed, but he only knew that after removing the dark sunglasses from over his eyes. Kevin shook the man's shoulder again, but he did not wake up. "Buddy?"

The dog barked a bit louder and nudged the man's side.

A dark red stain was slowly growing.

Aw, shit.

Quickly, Kevin flipped out his phone and dialed 911. He gave the name of the street and was told to wait until authorities arrived.

Kevin reached a hand over the man's wound, pressing against it with his jacket to slow the flow of blood like the woman on the phone had told him. The dog barked and whined and paced back and forth in front of them. Occasionally, it would nudge the man's shoulder or head, whining and nipping at his clothing.

"He's gonna be alright, bud," Kevin said to the dog. He immediately felt a bit stupid talking to an animal. He'd never felt the need to talk to his mother's cat or his uncle's own dog, but this one seemed to really need a few softly-spoken words. "We're gonna fix your dude up and you can go on walks or whatever again."

Kevin was told he didn't have to stay after he gave a statement to the police, but something very deep inside his gut said to stay so he followed behind the ambulance to the hospital, towing the man's dog with him.

"Eddward Vincent," Kevin told the woman behind the desk. He had the dog at his side and he was getting a lot of disapproving looks, but hey! The dog had a vest suggesting he was a service animal. They could deal.

"He should have arrived just a while ago. I have his dog and, I wanted to make sure he was okay."

"Well, if he just arrived," the woman said, sniffing snootily at the dog, "he would be under the doctor's care and not allowed visitors. You'll just have to wait – _outside_ – with that dog until visitors are allowed."

Well, Bitch. Kevin gave her a nasty look and stomped out, calling the dog, who obediently followed, but he didn't make it out the door before an older woman came rushing into the lobby, speaking frantically to herself and to a man beside her.

"T-The police said he was stabbed! My baby! Oh, Eddward! I knew he shouldn't have moved into this darn city! If you hadn't pushed for him to become a doctor!" The woman gave the man a stern look as they made their way to the desk. As they passed, the dog barked loudly and followed after.

The man following the woman stopped and looked down at the animal. Kevin made to apologize, but the woman suddenly exclaimed loudly, excitedly. "Oh! Jim! Oh, dear!" She wrapped her arms around. "How'd you get here?!"

"Uh, I brought him," Kevin said, stepping up to the couple. "I-I was the one who found Eddward in the street and called in."

"Oh!" The woman jumped back up and gave Kevin a tight squeeze, nearly sucking all his breath away. "Thank you, thank you so much! I don't know how I could repay you!"

"He's in surgery or something," Kevin said lamely. "The woman at the desk wouldn't give me much info, but the medics that brought him here told me he'd be fine after getting patched up and some rest."

"Thank you, again," the woman said. She ushered her husband off to try and extract more information from the woman, hoping that the parents of the patient would get something a bit more helpful. "And, I think Eddward would like to meet the man who saved him. Do you mind staying until we can see him? Or were you just leaving?"

"No, I'd like to meet Eddward. I want to know he's okay." Kevin let the woman hug him again and he waited with her and her husband for a while more, the dog now lying lazily at their feet, until a doctor came out to tell them Eddward was resting in a room a few floors up.

Eddward looked as if he were sleeping, just like he did when Kevin found him, but this time, the red-head could see the notable rise and fall of his chest. He let out a great sigh of relief.

Mrs. Vincent was at her son's side in seconds, as was Mr. Vincent. The woman gently shook Eddward's shoulder, cooing softly in his ear.

"Eddward, honey," she said softly. "Mama's here, and the nice man who helped was kind enough to stay to check up on you." She brushed feathery bangs out of his eyes and pet his head.

"M-Mother?" Eddward's eyes fluttered open and Kevin was met with a blank gaze, milky-blue eyes looking through everything he turned to.

"Right, here, baby. You're in the hospital. Can you tell me what happened?"

"The police will want a statement from you once you've been discharged," Mr. Vincent spoke up from the other side of the bed. Eddward turned to him and Kevin just stood there feeling awkward and like a fourth wheel (or fifth if you counted Jim).

"I'm fine, Mother," Eddward reassured softly. "It was just a misunderstanding," he said lightly with a small smile. "Nothing to get so worked up about."

"Honey, you were stabbed!" Mrs. Vincent exclaimed. "How is that nothing to get worked up about?! Please tell me you will at least talk to the police." Eddward nodded, but didn't say anything more about it.

"You said a man was here?"

"Uh, yeah," Kevin spoke up. He still stood on the far side of the room, watching the family. "Uh, I heard your dog whining and went to see what was up and found you on the ground bleeding and unconscious. I called the police as soon as I could."

"He also brought Jim and wanted to see if you were doing well. Isn't that right?"

"Yeah, uh, I did." Kevin gave a sheepish smile and fumbled around. Mrs. Vincent waved her hand, motioning for him to sit next to the bed. He did so with an odd grimace.

"Thank you," Eddward said. "I'd probably still be in the street if you hadn't come. That sidewalk is mostly quiet at this time of day."

* * *

Alpha-Omega

Alphonse grew quickly as Alphas did. By the time two winters had passed, he was walking and talking and following his father around the pack-village with unbridled curiosity. Jim stayed near his mother, keeping to the nest and never straying far, though he was old enough to venture on his own.

The bright, soft orange hair of Kevin's son could be seen bobbing after him, tumbling often and constantly righting himself. The Alpha Leader chuckled to himself and stopped, waiting for the boy to catch up.

"What are we doin' today, Papa? Are we getting' Mama something special?"

Kevin chuckled again. "Do you think we should?"

Al nodded earnestly. "We should get him somethin' nice and Jim too! They'd be so happy!"

"What should we get them? Something sweet?" Al shook his head. "A flower?" Al shook his head again and tapped a chubby finger to his chin. "How about we make an extra special dinner.  ** _BLEH_**

* * *

Alpha-Omega

Eddward had found two dear friends in Kevin's pack, in his new pack: Edward, the slightly dimwitted, but very personable Beta, and the strong-willed, stubborn Alpha, Eddy.

While Kevin was performing duties and during Eddward's time off from chores, the shy Omega would venture out of the nest and see what the village had to offer. There were no shops, like in large packs, but their home had a trade-and-barter system that worked through homes.

Eddward had first found Edward while he was searching for ingredients for dinner. The Beta, and his Alpha sister, were perusing the same merchant and Eddward, shy as he was, started up a conversation.

* * *

It was over a year now. Over a year and Eddward and Kevin were still seeing each other.

"I'm not going to have to explain myself to some big Alpha now am I?" Kevin said in way of a greeting as Eddward sat down at the mesh table on the patio outside the coffee shop.

The Omega blushed. "N-No. Um, hello."

"Hey."

The two drank their drinks for a minute.

"So, Eddward, what's your story? Why's a cutie like you working in a boring old book shop?"

Eddward fumbled with his tea and avoided Kevin's gaze. "W-Well, after I graduated high school, I mostly stayed at home until my mother heard about the job opening. I love books, you see. A-And it's not that boring a job. It's tedious and somewhat repetitive, but not boring."

Kevin chuckled. "Well, I guess if you're into that sort of thing."

"What about yourself? How has life treated you until now?"

"Ah, well, I guess. I'm working at my dad's bike shop right now before going to college."

"Oh! What do you want to study?" Eddward asked with a smile, glad their topic was going down a route he was comfortable with. "Where are you planning on going?"

Kevin scratched the back of his head and shrugged. "Ah, I dunno, really. It's my Ma who wants me to go really. I think it's kind of a drag, to be honest."

"Oh." Eddward fiddled with the straw in his tea, stirring it around the small cup. "That's a shame."

"W-What about you?" Kevin asked suddenly. "I mean, do you do anything besides work at the store?"

"Oh, no, not really. Father doesn't really like when I leave the house alone. He worries, you see."

"Well, then do I get to be the special exception?" Kevin said with a smirk. Eddward flushed dark red.

"W-We'll have to see," he said, trying his best to sound not so tentative.

Eddward saw Kevin again the next weekend. And at the store twice more before that. Then the two went out the next couple of weekends and before he knew it, Eddward was inviting Kevin to meet his mother and father.

The experience couldn't be an easy one that was for sure. Father was so protective of him and Mother could be embarrassing, but Eddward had never been in this type of situation and no way of guessing how it could turn out. He just hoped he could live through it.

* * *

Alpha-Omega

Roger had worked his ass off to keep his son in school and not wandering off with a rouge hoodlum. It was very important, not just to him, but Eddward as well, that his Omega son get a full and proper education. And no hormonal, bastard of an Alpha was going to stop him.

And his job was fairly easy, surprisingly. Eddward shared his sentiments when it came to his academic career. He assured both his mother and father that he was not interested in the dominate Nature and was completely focused on his studies.

That is, until  _he_  arrived.

 _He_  was a transfer student, new to the town and Eddward had offered to give him a tour, polite as always. His manners were impeccable, though they were not always very helpful. Either way, Eddward offered to show him around the school and that day, when he came home smelling a little bit too much like a foreign Alpha, Roger sat his son down to give him a stern talking to.

"What is that smell, son," he asked, sitting in his lazy chair while Eddward sat, cross-legged on the sofa next to him.

"What smell, Father?"

"Alpha," Roger breathed sharply.

"O-Oh! That's nothing to worry about," Eddward explained hurriedly. "I was just showing a new student around the school so he wouldn't get lost. No need to worry."

Oh, but worry Roger did.

The smell of the unidentified Alpha became a household scent, though Eddward assured them nothing was wrong. They were just friends, like he was friends with Eddy.

Then one day, the Alpha smell on Eddward was just a bit too strong and Roger was furious.

"You told me it was nothing, son," he said sternly, a dark glint in his eye. Eddward was sat at the kitchen table along with his mother who was worrying over both her son and husband. "What's he been doing to you? And don't lie, Eddward."

"H-He only kissed me," Eddward explained with a stutter. He wrung his hands and fidgeted in his seat. "O-Only a kiss."

"You don't need to be kissing!" Roger said a bit loudly. Eddward and Margie jumped in their seats. "You need to be finishing your education. After high school, you have nothing! You won't be allowed to attend college and you will only have yourself to teach you important information. Alphas are not important right now."

"I-I didn't say he was important…"

"If I smell him again, I will personally sign you out of school and you will finish your education here, Eddward."

* * *

Kevin walks Edd home

"I-Is there so-something you ne-needed, Kevin?" Eddward asked with a stutter, knocking his knees together. The large jock leaning over him with a hand pressing along the wall next to his head, didn't say anything, just looking intently at him.

Eddward shook in his shoes, his legs threatening to give out any second. "D-Did yo-ou want to a-ask me something?"

Kevin leaned closer, cornering Eddward between himself and the wall and his arm. The dork made a whimpering sort of noise and Kevin's face twisted up in a scary sort of way that made Eddward even more nervous.

"I-If there's no-nothing I ca-can help you with," Eddward said," th-then I must take m-my leave." He shifted from one foot to the other, trying to convey that he wanted to leave, but Kevin didn't move and Eddward was still trapped.

"C-Come with me," Kevin blurted out harshly, grabbing Eddward's arm. The dork nearly dropped his books grasped tightly in his hands, but was lucky not to. He didn't think Kevin would stop so he could gather them back up had he dropped them.

"Wh-Where are we g-go-going?"

"I'm walking you home," Kevin said with a growl.

* * *

Edd and banana (from fullmoon)

There were times when Kevin hated and cursed the way that Eddward was seemingly obsessed with healthy living, juicing stupid vegetables and fruits into gross drinks that he didn't even like; or when he refused to go to restaurants where they also served animal meat alongside plant-based meals.

But there was one time that Kevin secretly really  _really_  enjoyed.

On car trips or any kind of long journey, Eddward liked to freeze fruits and bring big bags of carrot sticks and cucumber slices. Now, there wasn't anything real 'sexy' about watching someone eat, but there was just something about Edd eating frozen fruit that just made Kevin… Agh!

The first time Kevin had noticed it, they were going on a road trip from sleepy Peach Creek to two states over to the not-as-sleepy Seattle area.

The sun was shining and the air was hot and Kevin had the top of the convertible down so they could have the wind in their hair. Kevin drove down the empty stretch of interstate, revving the engine and making Eddward laugh and giggle as he pretended to be some kind of greaser.

They were on the road for about an hour when Eddward started rummaging through an insulated bag, looting through plastic baggies of fruit and vegetables. He offered Kevin something but he declined, deciding to hold off for when they decided to stop for dinner.

Eddward looked around for something for himself and Kevin couldn't have known what kind of god's he'd be thanking not twenty minutes later.

The ravenette sat back down in his seat with a bag full of chopped banana. They'd been frozen, along with all the other fruits, so it was cold to the touch and more solid than what it would normally be.

Kevin didn't really think anything of it when Eddward took the first banana piece, licking and nibbling the end of it, he just kept watching the road, driving along, watching for road signs and any stray pedestrians.

Eddward continued to nibble on the banana and Kevin turned to Edd, on a whim just to ask a stupid question that really had no meaning, and froze.

Yeah, he'd heard Nat and the other football players at the college making jokes about the cheerleaders and other girls, making innuendos about the shape of the food they ate and how they ate it. Kevin had never really gotten into it, not really caring what someone ate and not really understanding what was so funny.

But now, with Eddward and the banana and just—

"Is something wrong?" Eddward asked around the banana. He didn't swallow or take it out of his mouth like he'd normally do, he talked around it. With it in his mouth. Kevin started drooling.

"Ah, n-no! Nothin's wrong! Just…" Kevin glanced back at the road, lest Eddward call him out on it and ruin the moment. "Just, uh, what'cha doin'?"

"Sitting next to you, silly," Eddward said with a lop-sided smile. "Are you sure you're alright? Should we pull over?"

God, yes! Let's pull over and—

"Nah, no. I'm fine, just thinking."

"About what?"

"You."

"O-Oh? What about me? Something nice, I hope." Eddward nibbled at the banana a bit more.

Kevin groaned softly. "Yeah, nice things."

"Are you sure you're fine? Driving for long periods of time is not good for your vision. We could stop and you could take a rest or I could attempt to…"

"Nah, it's fine. You just relax and…"

God damn, Edd really needed to find another food or Kevin was going to lose it!

"Maybe you're tired," Kevin tried. He just had to hold out until they got to a rest-stop and then… "Maybe you should lay your head back?"

"Oh well… I guess I could do with a quick rest," Edd said, popping the rest of the banana in his mouth and chewing. Kevin bit his lip to stay silent.

"Just lay back and…"

Eddward scooted in his seat, twisting and turning and suddenly Kevin had a lapful of Eddward's head. His thighs clamped and he hoped to God that Edd didn't notice. He heard a little giggle float up into his ears.

"I think this spot is sufficient," Eddward said with a smile as he looked up at Kevin as the driver glanced down.

"Y-Yeah."

Eddward nestled in and Kevin bunkered down for a long five miles until the next stop.

**0o0o0**

The sign that said "Exit Now" could not have come sooner! Kevin pulled off the interstate. As soon as the car was safely parked, the red-head leant down awkwardly and gave Eddward a kiss, waking him from his nap.

The ravenette smiled, happy with his awakening. "Hello," he said with a light laugh.

Kevin answered with another kiss and fumbled for the lever to scoot his seat back to make room. "Mm, hey, babe." He tugged on the hat-clad genius and soon Eddward was in his lap, giving and receiving much needed attention.

"W-What's all this for," Eddward panted as Kevin nipped his neck.

"Ah, you," Kevin talked around the kissing and sucking on Eddward's neck, "you're little snacks; they-they're too damn hot. That banana—" He sucked on Edd's lower lip and the genius moaned as he rocked on top of Kevin.

"Were you jealous of it, Kevin?" Edd asked as he mouthed long Kevin's neck, nipping at his collarbone.

Kevin groaned and just managed to nod as Edd rocked his hips atop him.

"Were you watching me eat it, Kevin?"

"Mh-hm."

"Were you thinking about me?"

"Y-Yes. Ah!" Edd ground harder on Kevin's pelvis, his hands running too slowly down his front, teasing with the button on his pants. "God, Edd."

"There's no need to be jealous of a fruit, Kevin. You could just ask and…"

* * *

Eddward finished the last of his chores. Folding the used sticky note neatly, he placed it into the bin along with the others and made a content noise. His home was now perfectly clean and orderly.

Eddward found his own stash of sticky notes and wrote a neat and tidy message. Now all he had to do was find the perfect spot to place it.

The hat-clad teenager searched around his house, thinking of where to place the note and finally, after going through the whole house, he thought of the perfect place.

Carefully placing the note into a plastic baggie, Eddward tacked it to the front door on the outside.

Mother and Father would be sure to see it there!

Nodded nicely to himself, Eddward jogged off to find his

* * *

Drunk!Kevin

Eddward didn't much like alcohol. In fact, he would be so bold as to say he hated it. He didn't drink it, he didn't smell it, he didn't like being near it.

His first experience with alcohol wasn't something traumatic or life-altering, it was just an offer from a random student at a Senior high school party that Eddy had dragged him to. He wasn't stupid, he knew what the kid was offering him and he said no thank you and sipped on his water bottle the rest of the night, turning his nose up at any offer of the fermented drink.

The genius didn't see what was so appealing about the drink. It smelt horrible and he assumed it tasted just the same. Being in the same room as the drink made him dizzy and god-forbid someone use wine for cooking – the fumes definitely made him woozy.

Then there was the impairing of judgment, the disabling of motor skills. Why would someone want to stick themselves in that kind of situation, stumbling and slurring and altogether not being very attractive?

In all honesty, alcohol made Eddward uncomfortable.

He'd seen his share of drunken businessmen stumbling home while he was out on the town with his parents driving somewhere. Mother would scoff lightly and Father always spoke up to tell Eddward that if he ever caught him with alcohol he'd been in deep trouble. Eddward never said it out-loud, but his father wouldn't have to worry. He hated alcohol and wouldn't be caught dead with it.

He made a good stride with keeping alcohol at a distance. It wasn't hard; he rarely was in a situation where alcohol could be involved. He was a good student and didn't much have a raging social life so he was rarely invited to teenaged parties.

But then he'd met Kevin and the red-headed athlete was known to consume his fair share of the accursed drink.

Eddward didn't mind too much though. It was Kevin's decision and as long as he didn't force the same upon him, Kevin could drink to his heart's content.

And drink he did.

At first, during their first few months of dating, Kevin was wonderful in Eddward's eyes. He was engaging and lovely and just perfect. He drank then of course, but Eddward wasn't going to be a prude and allowed it. His only rule was that he didn't want to taste it on Kevin's lips when they kissed.

Months went by and things stayed relatively the same. Kevin drank and chewed mint gum before taking Eddward out on a date.

They moved in with each other during college; into a small apartment and there were always two or three of some kind of beer in the little fridge in the kitchenette.

When Edd's parents came to visit, Father would give Kevin disapproving looks and Eddward would chastise him, it was Kevin's decision after all.

During their junior year of college, Kevin came home one night completely smashed. He stumbled up the stairs, tripping multiple times and then proceeded to miss the key lock multiple times before Eddward woke to the scratching and went to investigate with a bat in hand. Kevin gave a stupid hiccupping-laugh when Eddward finally opened the door to find him swaying as he stood with his key held out in front of him.

"Are you okay, Kevin?" Eddward asked.

Kevin burped loudly and was able to just barely stumble to the couch before he passed out for the night and most of the next day. Eddward followed after him worriedly and laid a blanket over him after tugging off his boots and tucking a pillow under his head.

Eddward stayed up most of that night making sure Kevin didn't sick up and drown in his vomit, as horrid as the thought was.

That was the first time Kevin did that. It wouldn't be the last.

The fourth time Kevin came home too inebriated to even know his own middle name, Eddward called his mother to talk.

She answered the phone warmly, happy her baby was giving her a call, but as soon as Eddward explained the nature of his call, she was in mother-bear mode, giving advice and instruction.

"You should put your foot down,  _querido_. I hardly think Kevin's behaviour is becoming and if it is affecting you, you should be firm in telling him that his actions are wrong and he should be more considerate."

"Ah, Mama, but…" Eddward sighed heavily into the phone. "I will try, Mama."

The next time Kevin informed Eddward he was going out with his friends, Eddward stopped him before he could exit the door. He held his arm, more wrapping his whole self around a bicep so Kevin couldn't have a chance to leave.

"W-While you're out," Eddward said shyly, "could you be careful on how much alcohol you consume? I would really love for you not to come home in such a state." Eddward gave Kevin a hesitant smile, hoping he wasn't sounding demanding or totalitarian. He just didn't want Kevin coming home smashed and vomiting on the carpet.

"Yeah, whatever you say, babe." Kevin pecked Eddward's nose and left with his jacket and keys and a wallet full of bills.

Eddward paced the living room and the kitchen and the laundry room before he ate dinner and tried to sit and calm down as he waited for Kevin to return. He was able to watch some of a documentary on nature, but ultimately he was too distracted and decided to talk to his mother about Kevin some more.

He voiced his worries and she gave the best advice she could as a mother. Then she handed the phone off to her husband as Edd and his father hadn't talked in quite some time.

Eddward skittered around any topics involving Kevin and was finally feeling thoroughly distracted until he heard the telltale signs of skit-scratching on the door telling him Kevin was drunk beyond comprehension and he cut the conversation short, promising to call in the morning.

Eddward escorted Kevin to the couch and pulled his boots off, cooing soft answers to his drunken mumbles, laying a blanket over him and propping up pillows before Kevin passed out and began snoring up a storm. The genius sat in the lazy chair next to the couch and stared at the blank screen of the television, catching his and Kevin's reflection. He felt tears sting his eyes and startled when Kevin gave a particularly loud snort in his sleep.

Oh, he hated alcohol so much, he dearly did.

The same night, despite his promise to call the next morning, Eddward called his parents once more and was thankful his father answered the phone.

Father wasn't an easy one to fool and he knew almost immediately that his son was upset. He'd question Eddward's wellbeing before the first sniffle passed through the receiver.

"H-He," Eddward hiccupped as he cried silently. "H-He is so terrible, Daddy. I-I don't think I can take much more. That's a terrible thing to say!" he reprimanded himself. "But, I don't think I can take seeing Kevin come home, swaying as if he will fall with just a gentle breeze! Our door is completely scratched to abandon. D-Daddy, I've had to clean up his sick multiples times!" Eddward cried hysterically. If anyone were to understand his near-phobia fear of germs, his father would.

"Eddward," Father said sternly. "Do you need me to come there?"

Eddward sniffled a few more times and thought a moment. " _N-No lo sé_ ," he said quietly.

Father didn't say anything either for a moment, but then, "I'll be there in under an hour."

"T-Thank you, Daddy." Eddward hung up the phone and watched as Kevin drooled a bit on himself. Had he done something wrong?

After a moment of composing himself, Eddward hurried to the bathroom to remedy his red eyes and soggy nose. The apartment would be getting the same treatment before his father showed up, if only so Eddward could be occupied until he did.

There was a sharp knocking at exactly eleven o'clock, right on time, just as Father always was.

Eddward opened the door and let himself wrap his Father in a tight hug. A few unnoticed tears escaped down his cheeks as he did and soon Father was standing in the living room, giving a terrible glare at Kevin's sleeping form.

"You've done a wonderful job cleaning up, Eddward," he commented. "I assume you did just now."

The son smiled sheepishly. "I-I had to keep my mind occupied, I must admit. It wasn't so messy to start with."

"Why don't you go pack a few things? I'll leave a note for  _him_  and you can come visit your mother. She's worried about you." Roger shooed his son down the hall and took a seat in the lazy chair beside the couch, staring intently at the unconscious ginger.

Kevin woke up, more sober than he had been the night before, sometime around two in the afternoon. He sat up on the couch, rubbing his eyes from the sunlight beaming in through the curtained windows. He moaned quietly as he stood up, wobbling a bit as the blood rushed to his head, blinding him for a few moments.

He stumbled to the kitchen where Edd would be with a plate of eggs and toast and bacon all for him after a night of drinking. But when he sat down at the table, no plate of food was waiting for him, not even the smell of cooked bacon lingered in the small room.

"Edd?"

There was no answer.

"Uhg, what the fuck?" Kevin stood back up, bumping his hip on the table and grumbled some more. "Edd?!" he called out loudly. If Edd heard him, he would come trotting in soon enough. But nothing happened.

Then, that's when he saw the yellow sticky-note on the fridge. "What the hell?" Kevin pulled it off and pulled it close to his nose.

"Kevin, Eddward is staying indefinitely at his Mother's house."

"Why don't you go lie down, son? It's late and I'll make myself comfortable here. I don't think I will be of much use until morning."

"A-Actually, noon would be more the time you can have any interaction with Kevin," Eddward said quietly as he headed down the hall. "He usually sleeps straight through the morning, but it all depends on how much he has consumed."

Father nodded and waved Eddward off to go sleep. He was sat in the lazy chair and had a book with him to keep him occupied. The loud snores would help keep him up for now.

* * *

Kevin isn't a jerk!

Everyone thought Kevin would use the closeness as a chance to beat up on Double D, but the genius was glad to right the wrong every single time they skirted around asking if he was okay.

That's the funny thing. Kevin, the childhood bully, and Eddward, the victim, should have been a loaded couple, but it was just the opposite. Love just does this thing where it turns even the most strong-willed, thick-headed person's insides all mushy and gooey and upside-down.

When he was with Eddward, Kevin was a whole different person. He lowered his voice; he held doors open; he pushed in chairs; he used napkins and covered his mouth and didn't talk when his mouth was full. He still played dirty on the field, but when Edd was there in the stands watching, he sometimes lost focus and fumbled or dropped a pass, but when questioned about it, he would say, "I have dirt in my eye!" and then storm off or ignore the investigator.

* * *

Rev!Kev/Edd & Kev/Rev!Edd

Kevin and Eddward were boyfriends. Short, simple and to the point. No ifs ands or buts about it. They had been dating since their Senior year and were now going into their fourth year of relations now they were in college.

The two were very compatible, should you ask nearly anyone in Peach Creek: Kevin and his robo-mania and Eddward and his academia. The both were labeled nerds through their entire school careers up until they were admitted to college.

Kevin lived on the far side of Peach Creek, Eddward on the other. In the same cul-de-sac that Eddward lived in another Kevin, his Kevin's cousin, lived just across the street, their bedroom windows facing each other. This Kevin, Kevin Barr, not Kevin Anderson the loveable robotics geek, was a brute who loved basketball and baseball and nothing more than to beat up on Eddward and his friends, Ed and Eddy.

For Kevin the geek, he had a similarly parallel life in his own cul-de-sac. Eddward's elder brother Marion, who lived on his own after graduating high school, had moved into a house just across from Kevin Anderson, much to his abhorrence. Marion was a brute, much like Kevin's cousin, and liked nothing more than to torture him with mind games.

But everything changed when the two bullies found out their little family members were dating each other.

Eddward dealt with Kevin Barr's violent nature, his sharp words and threats and occasional punch to the gut were not enough to deter him from leaving Kevin Anderson well enough alone. He was much too enamored with the gentleman and would not let some teenaged bully's insignificant words affect him.

Similarly, Kevin was not about to let Marion get inside his head. The tall swimmer could try and intimidate him, the same face as Eddward, just a bit darker, and even though he sometimes got under his skin, Kevin would not back down to the brute.

When they were together, the brother and cousin did not exist.

Kevin was the more assertive of the two, not as shy as Eddward was, but still shy enough. His vocabulary involved a few pages of curse words that Eddward never approved of, though Kevin never listened. When alone together, he was the one to usually to initiate things, conversation to bedroom activities.

Currently, Kevin was kissing Eddward. The two were awkward around each other, hot and flustered and not knowing exactly what to do about it, despite their vast knowledge.

The beanie-clad young man was laying on his back on one of the camp beds in the small room that the two had rented. The semester was over and college was months away once again. Knees were knocking and arms were wrapped tight around a neck; fingers gripped slim hips and toes dug into the sheets. The red-head continued his ministrations on the raven-headed genius, soaking in the moans and mewls, dishing out some of his own.

"Edd?" Kevin asked after they came down from their high. The two lay on the small camp bed, squished together, but neither complaining.

Eddward responded with something more like a pant than an answer.

"You know I'm crazy about you, ya?"

Kevin asked this question many times. Eddward always responded the usual, "Of course, silly," but there was something about Kevin's past, the years of being the underdog that had him self-conscious about whether or not Eddward even remotely liked him back. He needed constant reaffirmation to keep the smile on his face.

Eddward understood the odd behaviour. He too had been constantly underfoot of the 'popular' students in junior and high school. When one was more worried over their GPA and not on who won the latest football game in such a small town, it became a sort of target on your back.

"And I love you as well, of course." Eddward pecked Kevin's cheek and curled closer, more on top than anything and closed his eyes. They had a long day of hiking and such ahead of them tomorrow (not that Eddward was looking forward to it).

The next morning, Eddward woke up to the smell of coffee and tea. Kevin was poking at a small fire, a tin pot nestled in the flames, water boiling away in it. He smiled.

"I already made your tea. It should be cooled down by now," Kevin said as he poured the boiling water onto instant ground coffee. He sipped at it and burnt his tongue, complaining while Eddward chastised him with a wagging finger.

"We're gonna hike up that hill and go as far as we can before the sun is down. The lake shouldn't be that far away," Kevin explained as they ate breakfast and after his tongue stopped throbbing.

Eddward stayed quiet.

* * *

Cars for presents, except DD

Rolf was the oldest cul-de-sac kid. On his eighteenth birthday, everyone was surprised to find a bright and shiny pick-up truck parked outside the farmer's home. Kevin was the first to go over, best friends and all, and find out that Rolf's Papa had gotten him the car as a birthday present. He was the first to a trend.

Nazz came home one day from school to find a brand new convertible, complete with a bow on top, her mother and father standing on the porch waiting for her to come home. The cul-de-sac children all crowded around in awe.

Ed was next with a slightly beat-up pick-up. He smiled dumbly and spoke of how many adventures he could take his friends on now that he had a vehicle.

Kevin, on his seventeenth, came home to a much sought after cherry red motorcycle. The whole neighborhood was up that night listening to the purring engine of Kevin's knew baby.

Johnny and Eddy both got their vehicles on the same day. The bald-headed weirdo was given a beat up old convertible bug car and Eddy came home to one of the cars his father couldn't sell from the lot, but was still excited to see a vehicle of his own.

Yes, the eldest of the cul-de-sac children all were now street-legal and out on the town most nights, all except one.

Eddward wasn't a person to be vain or selfish. He was happy his friends all were well-off enough to be able to afford second or third cars, his own family was well-off enough to do the same, but…

Eddward's seventeenth birthday had come and gone and he soon was going to be eighteen and he didn't want a shiny car or even a bike, he just wanted his parents to come home.

* * *

Blind!Edd he gets to see for first time

The bandages around Edd's eyes had to stay in place for two whole weeks. It was slightly tiresome, having to change the wrappings every now and again to ward off infection and also because Eddward was very germ-a-phobic. Kevin just wanted to finally see Eddward's eyes again, even though they weren't going to be his…

Half a month later, the two and Mrs. Vincent were gathered around in a doctor's office, waiting for the okay to take the bandages off and have Eddward open his eyes and finally see.

Margie held Eddward's left hand and Kevin held his right. The two sat on small stools on either side of the young man, each just as excited and weary as the recently-blind Eddward.

"I'm just going to cut the wraps and clean your eyes, Eddward," the doctor explained as he started snipping at the bandages. He took a cool cloth and whipped them against Eddward's closed eyes. Eddward jumped in his seat, giddy and terrified and excited and worried. "Now, I want you to open your eyes slowly, not all at once, when you're ready. Just flutter them open so the light doesn't bother you."

Eddward squeezed his mother's and Kevin's hand respectively and took a few deep breathes through his nose, shuddering and shaking. He turned his head towards the red-headed man. "I love you, Kevin," he said as he began fluttering his eyes.

The room was silent, everyone holding a bated breath.

Kevin watched as slowly, slowly, slowly Eddward's eyes opened. At first it held the same blank stare, just a different colour.

"I-Is everything supposed to be so fuzzy?" Eddward asked, a bit more than a smidge of worry in his voice. He grasped the two hands tighter. "O-Or is it just me?"

"Everything will be fuzzy for a while, not long. As you get used to seeing things, your eyes will focus and you will be able to see things clearly.

"What do you see, honey?" Margie asked. Her son was still facing Kevin.

"I-I… Well, I don't really know. I-I mean, I know it's you, Kevin! Is that what red looks like?" Eddward wriggled his hand out of Kevin's and reached up to touch the blob of red invading his new sense.

Kevin chuckled. "I did tell you I was a carrot-top."

"It's so… bright." Eddward scooted over to look at his mother. This time he was invaded with a blob of black and yellow.

"You're hair is blonde, correct, Mother?" He asked, reaching to touch her hair.

"Mh-hm." Margie sniffed and whipped at tear from her cheek. "Yellow like the sun," she said with a thick voice.

Hearing his mother breaking down, Eddward held her hand tightly with both of his own. He saw movement that must have been the doctor because he saw no loud colours. The man handed Margie a napkin for her tears.

"You will need to rest your eyes after opening them. Don't keep them open much longer, you will get a headache. I don't want you to become overzealous too quickly. Take the process of getting used to your sight slowly and carefully."

Eddward nodded. "I-I can't thank you enough," he said with a tiny voice. "But, are you sure that my new eyes will not fail? I-I don't mean to be rude or anything, just curious."

"Honestly, the success of having your new eyesight for life will depend on whether your body decides to reject the eyes or not. But, I'll be glad to say, our success-rate has been very high."

The baby was crying again, but Eddward couldn't gather enough energy to care. In actuality, the crying was beginning to grate on his nerves and he wished for someone to make it silent again.

Nathan was in the den, eating a meal, dinner. He was on the other side of the baby, farthest away from Eddward. He growled every now and again. That too was grating on Eddward's nerves.

"Shut that thing up, Bitch," he demanded, growling loudly, frightening the baby and making it cry even louder.

Eddward didn't say a thing, nor did he make any attempt at hushing the baby.

"If if doesn't, I'll make it, Bitch."

Eddward knew the threat was empty. Nathan wouldn't kill the baby.

* * *

Hogwarts

"Really, Kevin, those sorts of comments are what drive the discriminatory minds of bigoted idiots," Eddward huffed as he stalked down the corridor from Defense class. "It was completely unacceptable to say those things."

"C'mon, Edd! I didn't mean anything by it!"

"But you said it and whether you meant something does not deter my anger for you at the moment. Because of comments like those, innocent people are victimized and not allowed a life no different from your own."

"But they're just werewolves!" Kevin sighed exasperatedly. "They kill people all the time!"

"But do they choose to become werewolves in the first place? Do they choose to undergo terrible transformations that leave them without sound mind? What if I was a werewolf, Kevin? Would you say those things then?" Eddward had stop and spun around to face Kevin head on. "Hm?"

"Of course not! You wouldn't ever hurt somebody!"

"But if I was a werewolf, I would kill all the time, as you say. I would be nothing more than a monster."

"But you're not! For Merlin's sake, Edd! Okay! I'm sorry I said what I did! It was uncalled for and I won't do it again!"

"I'm still angry at you," Edd said as he turned to continue on to his next class.

* * *

Prompt 597. A niffler finds its way into the Ravenclaw common room. – hpfanfictionprompts tumblr

"Get it out!"

That was the scream Eddward woke up to one winter morning in his bed in Ravenclaw tower. It sounded stressed and maybe even slightly frightened and Eddward was quick to go and see what it was the girl was yelling about – the gentleman he was.

"Argh! It's gonna ruin everything!" another scream reverberated up the tower stairwell, Edd hurried down them.

"It's just a Niffler, Suzie," a sixth year said as he pat the blond girl's hand. "Calm down. It's too early to be screaming."

* * *

"We'll have to move soon. The animals will pick up on the blood."

"I don't think I can move for a while," Edd said quietly. "I can't feel my lower half very well," he admitted.

"Just rest for now," Kevin assured as he cradled his son. "I'll figure something out."

Edd fell asleep quickly, sweaty and exhausted and Kevin nestled the baby next to Edd in the trunk, wrapping their blanket over both of them, then he went to work figuring if he could make a sled of some kind.

* * *

Imagine your OTP having dinner with Person B's parents when Person B asks for 'Daddy' to pass the salt, leading both Person A and their father to reach for it. Bloodshed is optional.

Mr. and Mrs. Vincent were that bad of a couple. After finally meeting the parents of Eddward, Kevin decided he actually thought they were pretty cool. Margie worked as a micro-biologist and liked to make cheesy jokes about her work. Roger was a particle physicist and while Kevin kinda-sorta understood what that was, the older man was still pretty cool and not as uptight or unfriendly as he always assumed him to be.

In fact, Kevin had always thought that Edd's parents would be some really strict, distant, and cold because of all the sticky notes Kevin had seen around Edd's house when they were kids, but he'd come to learn that the notes, while hastily written and mostly a list of chores, were actually a way for Edd to know that his parents were there and yes, they were coming home and no, he was not alone.

Edd was a lucky catch that was for sure. He was kind and adorable and patient as fuck and adorable. He didn't nag Kevin when he flopped onto the couch with his dusty, sweaty baseball uniform still on and he was adorable. Hell, he even cooked like some Betty Crocker shit! And, you know, he was adorable.

Currently, the entirety of the Vincent clan were seated at the table, Roger at the head, Margie at his right and Eddward at his left. Kevin sat between Margie and Edd. They were having dinner, a sort of get-together before Edd and Kevin made their official move into their own apartment in the city.

Margie had cooked the side dishes, crunchy haircots verts with lemon and mashed potatoes with garlic and green onions. Edd made the roast and the soup and it tasted amazing.

Roger was chatting to Margie about something in her lab and she was giggling and making more of her cheesy jokes. Eddward ate quietly, one hand clasped gently in Kevin's lap.

"Could you pass the salt, Daddy?" Eddward asked softly, not looking up from his plate right away.

Kevin, on reflex, began reaching for the salt, but he was interrupted by Roger grabbing it before him. The two men looked at each other.

There was a tiny squeak from beside Kevin and he saw Edd turning a bright shade of red. Margie was giggling behind a hand.

Oh shit.

Roger cleared his throat loudly and Eddward slumped in his seat, sliding further and further under the table. Kevin just sat there dumbly.

"Uh…"

"Don't be too rough on him, honey," Margie piped up as Roger kept a steady glare on Kevin's form.

"Mind explaining?" Roger asked simply.

"Uh…"

"What exactly are you doing with my son?"

"Uh…"

"Daddy!"

Both Roger and Kevin looked at Edd at the same time. Roger growled at Kevin. Eddward grew a darker red.

"C'mon, Eddward," Margie piped up. "Let's leave these guys to work through this." She stood up and dragged Eddward out from under the table and into the living room with a tiny smile at Kevin and her husband.

"Alright," Roger began once the door to the dining room swung shut. "What kinds of things are you doing with my son exactly?"

"Well, uh… You see…"

"You had better assure me soon, Kevin."

"Uh, well, you see, Mr. Vincent. Edd is… uh…"

"Eddward is what?"

"Edd's a kinky guy!" Kevin blurted out.

Roger looked affronted, a small blush on his older face. He found himself and frowned at Kevin a stern glare shooting into the young man. "I don't think that's something you should say to a man about his son, Mr. Barr."

"Uh, well, you see—" Kevin fumbled for words, hoping Roger wouldn't come across the table at him. He wouldn't put it past him. He'd never seen angry Roger before and protective Roger seemed to be peeking out right now.

"God damnit, there's no way to explain this, Mr. Vincent! Not without embarrassing Edd even more!"

"I never took you for the Daddy kind," Margie said with another hearty laugh. Eddward tried to suffocate himself with a couch cushion. "Its fine, Eddward dear. I don't care what you do with Kevin in the bedroom." Eddward moaned into the cushion.

"Please don't speak anymore of it, Mother," he begged. "I don't think I can take this embarrassment!"

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about.

* * *

"Thank you for the ride, Eddy." Eddward placed a kiss on the other's temple as he looped his bag's strap over his head and got out of the warm car. A rush of cold air burst in, Eddy shivering, despite the heat coming out of the vents facing him.

"Yeah, yeah. Just shut the door, hurry up!" Eddward hurried to close the door, a smile on his face. Eddy rolled the window down a creek. "I'll pick you up at three-thirty. You're cooking." Then he drove off, tearing out of the elementary parking lot. Eddward laughed as his friend and roommate desperately fought to get as far from the school as possibly in as little time as he could.

"He's gonna get pulled over one of these days; that or crash."

Eddward turned around to see Kevin in basketball shorts and a loose t-shirt despite the winter having settled in. Really, did he have no sense? The teacher ushered the coach inside quickly, wrapping his scarf around him momentarily.

"You really should be more careful, Kevin," he chided. "Canadian winters are nothing like you're used to in California."

"Please, I went surfing in blizzards."

"I'm sure you did, but this is still much colder weather than you are used to and I won't be the one to take care of you when you get sick if you continue being so irresponsible."

"Hey, Sweet-cheeks!"

"Oh, hello, Nathan."

"What's old Kev getting you so worked up about?" Nathan, the receptionist, leaned over the welcome counter, grinning brightly and waiting expectantly. "Is he not giving the D?" He cackled as the two teachers flushed and fumbled about. Edd took his scarf back, folding it up awkwardly and stuffing it in his bag.

"N-No, that's not—"

"I don't—"

"Chill, chill! I was just playing you. God you're adorbs, Sweet-cheeks. Kev, you got a keeper~"

"Nathan, this is a children's school!" Eddward said after he'd finally gathered himself properly. "That kind of language is inappropriate!"

"Okay, Sweet-cheeks. I'll tone it down, just for you." He pushed a button to open the second set of doors and Kevin flipped him off behind Eddward's back.

* * *

Oh God, Edd was standing at the copier again. Kevin walked into the teacher's lounge smoothly, trying not to look as if he'd been watching the fifth grade teacher like he was his prey. Okay, smooth, cool, collected.

Kevin poured a cup of coffee, burning his tongue and panting a bit loud. Edd turned around, a curious look on his face.

"Oh! Mr. Barr! I didn't know you were in here! Good morning!"

Kevin's mind went black. He nodded listlessly, not saying anything because his tongue suddenly felt like lead. Oh God.

"Well, I have to go now, but it was nice seeing you! Maybe we could eat lunch together today?" Edd smiled and waved and left with his stack of papers, Kevin freaked and blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "Morning!"

He heard Edd laugh softly and return it from out in the hall.

Urgh! Kevin pulled at his hair, tossing the bitter coffee in the sink and slouching off to the gym to set up dodge ball for his first class of older kids. That was an easy game and he only had to pay half attention as the kids tried to murder each other with foam balls.

Edd's class rushed in half-way through the morning. Okay, just play it cool. Kevin got the kids playing and he went to stand near Edd who had sat himself down on the steps on the small stage on the left side of the gym and was reading a yellowed book. Edd did that when his class had gym. He would sit down and read a book for the next thirty minutes, flipping page after page, lost in whatever world he'd been sucked into.

"Hey."

Eddward startled, nearly dropping his book. Kevin cringed.

"Sorry."

"N-No! That's fine, I just wasn't paying attention.

~0~

Second date for teacher!Edd, coach!Kevin

Eddward was at the copier again. Kevin was at one of the tables with Nazz, chugging bitter, burnt coffee masked with little packets of sugar.

He sighed.

"What?"

Another sigh.

"What?"

Kevin made another attempt at a sigh, but Nazz stuffed a donut in his mouth. "I swear to God, Kevin, if you sigh one more time— What is wrong?"

The red-headed gym coach stared across the teacher's lounge with a dumb look. Nazz followed his gaze.

"Oh~"

"Yeah."

"How'd the first date go?" Nazz asked with a light laugh.

"I was horrible! I was so awkward and he was so… Perfect."

"Oh, c'mon, you couldn't have been that bad," she tried, patting his arm.

"I stuttered the whole time and barely got a full sentence out. Then he said his roommate thought I was a pervert and I almost got up and walked out."

"Well, you can be kind of dirty sometimes," Nazz said listlessly. Kevin glared at her.

"But he was so cool about it and when I asked him out and expected him to say no in a kind way – he's so considerate, Nazz! – he said yes and asked if this was a first date and then he kissed my forehead and left."

"Wow."

"Wow."

"Oh! Hello!" Eddward waved from across the lounge, straightening his stack of worksheets and then maneuvered around the cluttered room. "It's lovely to see you two."

"Hi, Edd," Nazz said sweetly. "How can you be so upbeat so early? My eyes still think they're in bed."

"Oh, well, I've always been a morning person," he said sheepishly. "And doing stretches in your morning routine help wake up your blood flood."

"Hey, I think I'll try that tomorrow. Get back to ya." She smiled once more then bid farewell to open up the library." She gave Kevin a look as she turned away from Edd. He sighed again.

"I had a wonderful time last night," Edd said after Nazz had left. He was seated across from Kevin after asking to sit down. "I wanted to thank you again."

* * *

German!

" _Oh, mein Liebling_ ~"

Eddward pulled his eyes away from his laptop screen, the ten pages of essay not leaving his mind. "W-What?"

" _Mein Vogelchen. Meine sü_ _ße Knödel_."

"Kevin… What are you saying?" Eddward snapped the personal computer shut and stared at his boyfriend oddly. "A-Are you speaking German?"

" _Oh, ja. Bist du aufgerüttelt_?"

Eddward flushed. He had no idea what Kevin was saying, but the way he was speaking: a deep, sultry voice, lidded eyes that stared at him hungrily, the way he leaned across the couch in a beckoning manner. "U-Um? Yes?"

Kevin chuckled breathily. " _Dann glaube ich, wir sollten die Abhilfe dass_." He crawled across the couch, climbing atop Eddward, pinning him on the cushions and pressing their noses together.

* * *

Lowes incident

Eddy was looking for, well, something. Eddward was just along for the ride and the trip to the bookstore afterward.

His roommate was discussing some hardware with an employee, quizzing him over what product was the best and why and Eddward was browsing the faucets with an idle mind. He was wondering what book he would find today. Maybe a horror/thriller? But, he'd gotten a suspense last time so maybe a comedy or a romance? He could browse the textbooks to figure what he wanted to learn next. He'd always wanted to learn how to speak French.

"Excuse me."

Eddward stopped walking along the wall of faucets, glancing over his shoulder with a curious expression. "Yes?"

"Do you need help finding anything?"

"Oh, I'm just looking. I'm waiting for my friend to finish getting what he needed, actually."

"You're with that idiot?"

Eddward frowned. "Eddy is not an idiot, thank you." He turned back to the faucets and walked a few steps away.

"Hey, I'm sorry, okay?" The man pestered some more. "How 'bout I make it up to ya? How's about we catch a movie tonight?"

Hmm… "Well, I guess that could suffice. I'm Eddward, by the way. And you are?"

"Damien. Can I get your number? I'll text you tonight."

Eddward fumbled with the other man's phone and quickly punched in his digits and practically threw it back at him before running down the aisle to sit in one of the display showers.

Eddy found him twenty minutes later, clutching his knees with a large blush on his cheeks, still sitting in a shower. "What's up with you, Double D?" he asked as he hefted his box over a shoulder. "C'mon, this ain't light."

"Is not, not ain't, Eddy."

"Whatever."

"And, I may be seeing a movie with someone tonight," Eddward murmured.

"What?! Double D? A date? This is the hardware store, dude," Eddy muttered as he set down the box at the cashier's desk. "I didn't think there would be any of your type here. At the bookstore, yeah, but not here."

"And what are you saying my type is? I don't think I've personally told you. Hmm?"

"Oh, quiet, bookish, nerdy, just like you."

"I'm not nerdy," Edd defended. "And you couldn't be any further from the correct answer."

"Oh? Then relieve me, oh mighty Eddward. What is your type?"

"W-Well, um… H-Handsome and, um…"

"You don't even know."

"Well, I've never been asked out in that manner."

"Are you sure he asked you out? Not just as a buddy?"

Eddward thought a moment. "Well, according to his mannerisms, I'm sure it is supposed to be a more intimate gathering than just two friends."

"Ugh, don't say intimate like that. It's creepy."

Edd rolled his eyes.

At five, Damien texted his phone and Eddward told Eddy he would be in the shower should his phone buzz again and don't answer it. Eddy had a nasty habit of answering other people's phones and pretending to be them to get a laugh out of it.

Edd's phone did buzz once while he was in the shower, and Eddy had to use a large amount of self-control not to fiddle with it. He glanced at the lit-up screen, quickly reading the message. It just said to meet 'him' at the local theater at six.

Hmm… As soon as Eddward was out of the shower, he told him about the message and then headed in the bathroom himself. He'd scope out this Damien guy while he was at the movies with Edd. You could never be too careful with strangers, you know. Especially when they were asking out your dorky, shy, awkward roommate after just a few minutes of meeting them.

From the middle of the parking lot, Eddy saw Eddward meet up with who supposedly was Damien. He was tall and dark and okay-looking at best. The two got in line and Eddy hurried toward the front of the cinema just in time to hear what movie they were seeing.

"I'll take a ticket for uh…" Eddy glanced up at the screen card displaying all the movies showing that night. "Uh… Space Aliens from the Dark Side 3."

The two sat near the front of the theater room, Eddy thanked. He was able to slip past them in a group of teenagers and sat in one of the higher rows of seats. He had a perfect vie- "Hey, lady! Move it!" The woman who had just sat down and blocked his view of Eddward scowled and glared at him and moved seats far away from him. "Rude."

Eddward was seated and holding a large tub of popcorn, but Eddy knew there would be just about a million napkins in his pocket. God forbid he gets butter on his fingers. He snickered.

Damien snaked an arm around the back of Edd's chair before the movie trailers even started. Damn, this guy acted fast. Eddy munched on his own popcorn, paying more attention to the backs of Damien and Edd rather than the movie he'd paid ten bucks to not watch.

The movie opened up to a bloody battlefield of a war between two different alien races and Eddy knew that Edd was never one for gory movies. Even after all those years of movie nights in Ed's basement, the smart Ed never could stomach fake intestines and ketchup.

Damien leant over to Edd when the alien princess was giving a speech of peace during wartime. Edd seemed to jump in his seat and Eddy noticed he became tense for the next thirty minutes, squaring his shoulders and stiffening his back. What had Damien said?

There was a romantic scene between a middle-ranking officer from the losing side of the war and the princess from before. Eddy couldn't help but watch the scene, deciding he'd at least watch one scene of the movie.

But when the scene was over and the screen was showing another battle of the war and Eddy turned his attention back to Edd and Damien, Edd wasn't seated. Eddy leaned forward in his seat, training his ears to hear if Edd was talking. The movie was too loud though, men screaming and bullets firing rapidly, disguising the words Edd was saying.

Suddenly, Edd fled the theater room after tossing the popcorn bucket at Damien.

Shit.

Eddy stood quickly, taking the stairs by twos and went searching for Edd in the lobby.

He didn't have to go far. He heard sniffling behind a cardboard cut-out of a bloody chainsaw-wielding man.

"Edd?"

"Eddy? What are you doing here?"

Eddy peeked behind the cut-out and saw Edd hurriedly wiping his eyes and looking up at him from his crouched position.

"I came to make sure you were okay."

"Why were you here, I meant," Edd said between a hiccup and laugh.

"I wasn't too sure about this Damien guy, okay? Jeez."

Edd sniffed. "Well, you're feeling must have been correct. He's horrid."

Eddy sat down next to Edd behind the cut-out. "What happened? Did he really deserve a face full of butter?"

"Oh, he was so uncouth!" Edd exclaimed with a pout. "He has a terribly thick alpha-male syndrome."

"Alpha-what?" Eddy asked with a twisted face. He stuck his tongue out. "That sounds gross."

"It just means he has to be the best," Edd said with a frown directed at Eddy. He rubbed at his eyes. "That he can have anything he wants."

"Did he try anything on you?" Eddy asked suddenly, angry and ready to defend his best friend's honor. "Do I have to go beat some bitch?"

"Language, Eddy." Eddy groaned. "And no, you don't have to go beat anyone up."

"Well, what exactly did he do? I mean, I only looked away for a few minutes and then you were running out of the room."

"He made his intentions of befriending me very clear," Edd said with another frown. "In fact, friendship was last on his mind."

"So he wanted some?"

"I guess, in lame man's terms, yes."

"Double D, you gotta learn if a guy like that asks you out after just a few minutes, he can't be wanting anything else. Trust me."

"Are you saying that you don't think of anything else when talking to girls?"

"Well, it's on the brain."

Edd sighed. "I should have understood his actions. He had his arm around me with that horrid fake yawning move. It was uncomfortable, but he didn't move.

* * *

Imagine your OTP riding the same bus to work every day for months and eyeing each other but never saying a word. Then one day the bus brakes unexpectedly, sending the standing person A sprawling into the lap of the sitting person B, who blushes and stammers as they awkwardly try to help person A get upright again.

_Kevin_

Kevin Barr worked at a car dealership. It was a far cry from his childhood dreams of working at the candy factory like his dad. Even if his dad really only ever was a pencil-pushing number-cruncher. He took online college courses from the local community college when he had the time and enough money. On the weekends he either slept or had to get smashed enough to forget what sleep was with his friends Nat and Nazz.

He was fresh out of high school, just barely twenty-one and already he felt like some old geezer who had to hobble and complain about lawns and back pain.

Ugh.

Kevin boarded the bus, flashing his pass and shuffled past the creepy homeless man who begged off rides from the driver and almost didn't make it past the very persistent blonde who could not be any older than sixteen. Dude, that's gross, he thought. Find someone your own age. Or find a hobby. God.

Then the red-head, tired after a day of showing off shiny new cars all day, pretending like he had a single fucking care in the world about whether or not the potential customer liked this or that model for such and such reasons. They were all getting screwed in the end so who cared what make and model it was?

He took his usual seat near the middle of the bus and crammed his ear buds into his ears and began blasting his music to drown out the odd chatter from the other passengers. He had a quiz he needed to complete tonight in American History and he needed to cram before that…

The bus jerked and swayed and bounced and Kevin jerked and swayed and bounced along with it until it came to another stop, just two stops after his.

Kevin glanced up like he always did at the second stop after his. That's when  _he_  got on.

The center of Kevin's personal affections scampered onto the bus and fumbled around in his bag to show the driver his pass before he stumbled and tripped down the tiny aisle to his usual seat just across from Kevin's seat.

The homeless man smiled a black, empty smile and  _he_  handed the man a five spot with a smile, waving as  _he_  went on further. The blonde who was totally enamored with Kevin stuck her prematurely-heeled foot out and  _he_  tripped and apologized with a flustered, red face, ducking down after that and hurrying to _his_  seat.

Kevin nodded to _him_  and  _he_  smiled quietly back.  _He_  pulled a book out of his bag and that was the last contact Kevin had with _him_  until the next time he rode the bus the next day.

 _He_  had black hair. Or at least, Kevin guessed he did.  _He_  was always wearing some kind of headgear: a knit hat, a beanie, a hood, a wrap or scarf, and once Kevin had even seen  _him_  in one of those Asian things, the one that covers a person's whole head. But, didn't the women usual wear those? Kevin had shrugged it off. Who was he to judge someone's fashion? He barely had one of his own.

Kevin wore the same red baseball cap he'd worn since he was a kid. His clashed with his red hair terribly, Nazz had told him more than a million times since they were in diapers, but he didn't care. He'd had the hat for just as long and he wasn't giving it up that easy.

His stop came up a few minutes after  _he_  got on and he chanced a glance at the reading man, but wasn't greeted with those green eyes that captivated him so much for no reason at all other than they were there and Kevin had seen them and some mysterious force as elusive as his A+ grade in Math.

_Eddward_

Eddward Vincent worked at the bookstore. And the vegan café. And he volunteered at the library and homeless shelter in his free time. It was a far cry from his dreams of going off to some Ivy League college and earning doctorates in Physics and Chemistry and Biology and maybe creating vaccines or anti-viruses for some disease or another. But he'd still not trade all he had now to go down that route.

He was fresh out of high school, barely twenty and already feeling rundown and empty, despite all the work he had and the people he helped who were grateful and lovely to talk to.

Hmm.

Eddward boarded the bus as it stopped and he hurried to pull out his pass. How could he have forgotten to get it ready? That was so rude! The driver gave him a bored and slightly annoyed look and started moving the bus along before he'd even gotten half-way to his seat, causing him to stumble as he hurried.

He saw a man sitting in one of the first seats and recognized him as a regular at the homeless shelter a few blocks away. He stopped for just a moment to exchange pleasantries and then handed the man, Mr. Bayer, a five dollar bill telling him to make sure he got a nice meal before he went to bed that night. Then, when he wasn't paying attention, he trip over a girls foot and he apologized with a red face, feeling terribly embarrassed and ashamed that he'd not been paying enough attention. She sneered at him and he ducked his head self-consciously.

He got to his seat and nodded to the red-headed young man who always sat in the seat across from him. He smiled shyly and then buried himself in his book as the bus jerked and swayed and bounced with him jerking and swaying and bouncing along with it.

Edd's mind wandered off from the printed story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. He'd read it a hundred times at least since he was a kid. He could quote it forwards, backwards, and sideways, much to Eddy's disgust and Ed's amusement.

Speaking of which, Edd had a study session with his two friends that night. Eddy had a test in Biology and Ed had one in Math coming up soon and the two would surely fail if Edd didn't help set them on the right track. He also had an essay to finish up for British Literature. Hm… That was about three pages left and then he'd be able to focus on Eddy and Ed.

Maybe they could order out or maybe Eddy was up to making his homemade pizza like they'd done since they were children.

The red-headed man across the seat got up and exited the bus, but Edd barely noticed, too caught up in his thoughts of food and studying.

_Kevin_

Kevin's day hadn't gone very well at all. First, he'd been late and boss man had shouted at him about ethics and morals and eight hours and what the hell did he know anyways?

Then when running a routine check-up, Kevin had smashed his hand under the hood of a sorry ass Sedan and he'd chipped a nail that stung like a bitch as soon as he'd gotten motor oil under the nail-bed.

At lunch (because why did only his morning have to be so fan-fucking-tastic?), Kevin had gotten called up to boss man's office. He'd expected to hear more of the eight hours speech from that morning, but had left with his hours cut for the next few months for no fucking reason except that the company was doing some 'budgeting'.

And the cherry on top? He'd been soaked through when the bus had screeched to a halt right in a huge puddle that had been forming all day long.

So Kevin squelched past the homeless man and made a sour face at the blonde who scooted away from his dripping person and slumped down into his seat with a loud slap.

He didn't even bother with his music and sat, listening to the fucking chit-chat of the random people who talked too loud. Didn't public transportation have etiquette? Like, sit and shut the fuck up so you don't bother other people? Gods.

But then, two stops later,  _he_  boarded and Kevin's day was just that much better despite all the shit that had happened.

_Eddward_

Eddy and Ed had stayed at the café and waited for him until he got off his shift so they could hang out that night. That was a kind gesture, especially from Eddy who hated anything to do with healthy food and to sit in a café that sold nothing but plant-based foods was a very grand gesture that only a very select few were granted.

The bus stopped and Edd paid for his friend's fare after showing his pass. It was the least he could do after they'd waited so long for him.

"So are we watching the ghost movie or the zombie one first?" Ed rambled, looking between the two movie cases. He'd brought them from his apartment so the trio could watch them at Edd's for their movie night. "I'm thinking gore first."

"Whatever. You got the snacks, Double D?" Eddy asked as he flopped down in a seat. Ed did the same and Edd was left glancing for a seat near them. The one next to the red-head was empty. Oh, but he looked a bit upset…

"E-Excuse me?"

"What?"

Edd jumped. Make that very upset. "N-Never mind. I'll find somewhere else to…"

"Oh! Oh, no! Sit down! It's fine. I just had a shitty day. Sorry." The red-head pulled his bag into his lap, clearing it for Edd. "Sorry if it's a little wet. This bus kind of hates me."

"That's fine. I'm a little wet as well. The rain hasn't let up since this morning." Edd smiled and sat down daintily, placing his bag in his lap and nodding his thanks before turning to Ed and Eddy.

"Are you making the pizza, Eddy?" Ed asked excitedly, bouncing in his seat as Eddy looked over the movie cases now.

"As long as Double D doesn't make me use that fake cheese."

"And we have to have sausage! And ham! I love ham, Eddy!"

"I'll just make a small veggie pizza for myself," Edd said to appease his friends. "And I have dairy cheese just for you, Eddy," he teased.

_Kevin_

Double D? Kevin had to turn to face out the window just in case  _he_  glanced at him. What the hell did that stand for? Oh Gods.

 _He_  was sitting next to him too! Dear God!

Forget that shit the boss man had shouted at him, this was fucking choice! Plus, he hadn't been near as awkward as he'd feared their first conversation would be. Thank God.

So  _he_  was going to have a movie night with his friends? That's cool. Maybe Nat and him should do that? That could be cool. Nazz could do it too. They could huddle up in a dark room and watch some horror movie and scare themselves shitless. No, no! He had to keep listening…

Fake cheese? Vegetables? Okay, so maybe  _he_  was a health-nut. That was fine. Those people could be fun still. And  _he_  was still fine as fuck…

Kevin jerked with the bus as it skid to a halt, brakes screeching shrilly. Suddenly, though, he had a lap full of awkward young man, spluttering and apologizing and oh did Kevin wish  _he_  didn't get up.

"I'm so sorry!"  _He_  exclaimed, sitting back up and scooting nearly to the edge of  _his_  seat, furthest away from Kevin. "I apologize!"

"Nah, man," Kevin said smoothly. "It's fine. This bus is cheap so don't worry." He held his hand out suddenly. "I'm Kevin, by the way. Nice to meet you."

"Oh! How rude of me! I'm Eddward, with two Ds."  _Eddward_  said with a wary smile and stuck  _his_  out in return and the two shook. Kevin felt so many kinds of accomplished at learning this angel's name and actually touching him.

"So, Eddward. What are you doing tonight?" Hey, he might as well try and get into this movie night and learn more about this angel that had literally fallen into his lap.

"Oh, um… I-I'm hanging out with my friends,"  _he_  gestured to the two guys across the aisle. "We do it every week, you see."

"Yeah man. If you don't want me there, that's fine. I understand having bros and that's your thing."

"Oh um…"  _Eddward_  fidgeted in  _his_  seat uncomfortably for a moment and turned to Eddy who had an annoyed look on his face.

"God, Double D, can you not go anywhere without getting hit on?" he said stiffly with his arms crossed. Eddward blushed and shrugged his shoulders.

"I-If you don'

_Eddward_

"Um," Edd shrugged and blushed.

"Hey, who says I'm hittin' on him?" Kevin said. He was looking over Edd's shoulder and glaring at Eddy. Edd squirmed uncomfortably between the two.

* * *

After the Yule Ball

He'd had to threaten a group of first years with detention when they should have been up in their beds, sleeping, to let him into the Ravenclaw Common Room. Then he had to bribe them not to tell that they'd let in a Slytherin of all things.

After gaining entrance to his boyfriend's House, he'd slunk down the short tunnel and stepped into the giant pseudo-library. The many fireplaces were lit and gave the blue room a cozy feel. The tower was pretty cold, but the fires bade off the coming winter and it definitely wasn't anything like the Slytherin House where no matter how many fires were lit, it still felt cold and dank. Living in the dungeons and under a lake just kind of did that to a dorm house.

Kevin found Edd sitting on a couch pushed into a corner near one of the fires. A large pile of books was sat next to him and he had definitely not seen Kevin yet.

His face was red and his eyes were shot. Tear tracks stained his flushed cheeks and Kevin felt like even more of a douche that he had two minutes ago.

He heard Edd sniffle and he wiped his nose on his sleeve, a definite Edd no-no.

"Edd?"

Edd's head snapped up and as soon as he saw Kevin step into the Common Room from the entrance tunnel, he threw his book at him.

"You aren't allowed in here," he admonished snappishly. "I would leave if I were you, before I report you to the Headmistress. I  _am_  still a Prefect."

Kevin dodged the book and then picked it up and brought it with him, closer to Edd.

"I came to apologize, Edd."

"Well, I just am not in the mood to hear empty words."

"I'm not lying. I truly am sorry. I honestly forgot. I was hanging out with Rolf and we just got caught up with…"

"I'm sure you had more pressing matters at hand while I sat in the Great Hall like an idiot, waiting for a boy who never showed. Oh, Kevin!" Eddward sniffed. "I really wanted us to dance at that ball. You know I never ask for anything. I only wanted this."

Kevin sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face. Edd wasn't lying. He really did never ask for much. And this ball really had meant something to him.

"If we hurry, we could make the last song?" Kevin tried.

Eddward sniffed and turned away. "I said I'd rather not dance anymore tonight."

* * *

Kevin rolled his eyes around Edd's room. Laminated labels were stuck on the walls, the dressers, his desk, even the bed!

He flopped down and mussed up the sheets, knowing full well that Edd would eventually notice, sooner rather than later, and would shoo him off to remake it. Edd's room was rather dull, not like his own room that sometimes had an odd odor that Kevin could never find the source of.

"Hello, what's this?"

Kevin jumped off the bed and strolled over to Edd's desk. A bleached human skull sat innocently on top. Creepy. It was pretty hefty, at least heavier than he'd expected it to be. It definitely was not some cheep Halloween decoration.

He put it back down quickly after realizing that and wiped his hands on his shirt. Someone had actually… That had been someone's head once! So creepy!

But hello~ What's this?

Kevin's attention switched quickly to the next item on Edd's desk.

That certainly didn't belong here. No, not in Edd's room. Not the room full of school trophies and research books.

The Captain America mug stared heroically up at Kevin as the red-head chuckled to himself. He'd always pegged Edd as an Ironman or Hulk kind of guy. One of the smarties, not some kid hyped up on experimental drugs from the forties. But, you learned something new every day.

"Kevin! Oh! Please put that down before you break it!" Eddward shouted from behind him. And Kevin very nearly almost did what Eddward warned him about.

"God, Edd! You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"I apologize, Kevin, but please refrain from touching my things. Especially this thing." Edd picked up the mug and placed it on the bedside table. "It's very special to me."

* * *

Knees closed so hard bruises

Kevin had noticed it only once in high school. All the boys in Junior year had the same gym class and so Kevin was bound to bump into the Eds sooner or later during that hour and a half.

They'd been doing sit-ups when he'd noticed it. The group of boys was in a giant circle and Kevin saw Edd a few people down, being a dork and struggling to do a simple set of fifteen. But it wasn't the way Edd was struggling for breath, like he'd been running a marathon; it was the dark blue bruise on the higher side of the inner thigh on Edd's right leg.

That was an odd place for a bruise to be, especially on Edd.

But then again, Ed and Eddy weren't exactly the most gentle of people. They were always manhandling Edd and throwing him over Ed's shoulder or shoving or pushing him.

Kevin didn't think about the bruise again until mid-way through Senior year. And that was only after the very last thing that all of Peach Creek thought would ever happen. The Eds broke apart.

Eddy and Ed still hung out together, but Ed started reading more comics and talking with people he related to. Eddy, ever looking for a way to get a quick buck, started taking odd jobs. And Edd pretended like nothing had changed and would smile and wave at his friends when he saw them.

In his study hall, Kevin noticed Edd squirming in his seat. He did that often, actually, but for some reason, today's squirming was really starting to both Kevin. Every time the dork shifted in his seat, Kevin would grind his teeth and grip his pencil harder. It got so bad that Kevin actually thought he'd stand up and yell at the dork to stop it and sit still, but when he'd turned around to face him, something was off.

Edd, the kid who was happiest in any educational setting, was frowning heartbrokenly and hanging his head over his desk, flipping pages of a book periodically without reading the words. Kevin turned back around and buried himself in his math homework.

Over the next week, Kevin started noticing little things about Eddward that gave him a heavy feeling in his stomach.

Edd kept his head down, nothing new, but he also hobbled sometimes, like he'd hurt his foot or something. He rubbed at his forearms periodically, almost mechanically, like he was obsessive compulsive, but it was Edd so he may as well be obsessive compulsive.

And when he sat, it wasn't this kind of relaxed position that Kevin took, shoulders loose and feet spread. Edd kept his back ramrod straight and his knees were always touching.

The knee thing bothered Kevin.

When Edd was in the lunch room, his knees were pressed together.

In gym, as they sat in the bleachers, his knees touched.

During History and Study Hall, Edd's knees were clamped together.

Kevin couldn't say he'd ever seen Edd let his feet spread into a confident, relaxed position.

Edd started crossing his ankles as well, as if they were holding his legs together for him.

Kevin's mother was a nurse and he often went to her when he had a question about scratches or even odd behaviour. He had a naturally protective personality and he strived to help others as much as he could.

So when he went to his mother, asking about a classmate who was acting differently. They were acting more and more like a loner and didn't seem to ever be comfortable in his surroundings.

His mother was helpful and gave him a list of possible causes. Anxiety; depression; Kevin read the pile of pamphlets that his mother unearthed for him and when he got to school the next day, he watched Edd's behaviour some more, narrowing down the list of possible causes.

"Mom? What do you do when you think someone's been… erm,  _raped_?" Kevin whispered the last word as he leant in to his mother. The two were sitting in her room on her bed. "I know it's a big thing to accuse, but I really, honestly think it happened."

"I hope you haven't confronted the person you think this happened to," Kevin's mother said with worry. "It's common for victims to deny and get clammy when cornered with those accusations."

Kevin shook his head vigorously. "I haven't, yet. But, Mom, really, I really am starting to worry about them. I think it's been going on for a while. I noticed it in Junior year, but I didn't think anything of it. Their friends are pretty rowdy, you know."

"Kevin, first off, you are not responsible so don't feel like it is your duty to solve this. Whoever the victim is, will have to take the first step on their own."

"Is there a way I could ask about it? I'm really worried, Mom. They're thinner than usual and the thing that bothers me is they're always shifting in their seat and pressing their knees together. They're never relaxed and school is their haven."

"I'm going to trust your judgment, honey. But unless they confess something has happened to them, there's nothing we can do." She hugged her son and pecked his cheek. "You're a very fine gentleman, Kevin."

Edd sometimes tutored students for extra credit and so when Kevin proposed he get some help in Math the next day, Eddward was none-the-wiser to his plan.

Kevin followed the dork as they walked down the sidewalk from the high school to the cul-de-sac they'd both lived in since childhood.

Edd shuffled along, taking lots of small, quick steps while Kevin strolled behind him at a much more relaxed pace.

Edd offered him refreshments like a good host should and he declined; he had a mission and drinks would only get in the way.

"Hey, Edd? Before we start, can I ask you something?"

Kevin watched the way Edd sat on his couch in his own home. It was relaxed and Kevin finally saw his shoulders slump into a comfortable position, not hunched up to his ears.

"Of course, whatever you want."

"Has something happened lately? I mean, you just seem kind of down. And I was just wondering."

Edd shook his head casually. "No. Nothing really. Just the usual. I'm sorry if my behaviour's been bothering you."

"Don't apologize, dude." Kevin and Edd sat in an awkward silence for several tense moments. "Has someone been touching you, Double D?"

"That's a horrid accusation," Edd snapped.

"I know," Kevin sympathized. "And I know that if I'm wrong then that's even more inexcusable. But, Double D, seriously, has someone been touching you?"

Edd scrutinized Kevin for a moment and Kevin knew almost instantly that the answer was indeed positive. Edd just had to confirm it.

But, who? Who could go around doing that to someone, especially to someone like Edd? He was kind and incredibly smart and a lot of other things. Kevin just couldn't understand.

"I appreciate your concern, Kevin, but everything has already been taken care of."

"Then why have I been going around for these past months worrying sick over you? If you were fine now, I wouldn't be seeing signs of trauma."

"The situation has been handled and I thank you for your concern," Edd repeated. "Is that why you asked to be tutored? To confront me? If then, I'll have to ask you to leave now."

* * *

Alpha-Omega

Not everyone fights their position

Born an Omega, one does not know any other life than to bow their head and keep three steps behind.

It's an oppressed position, but when one knows no other life, it does not feel as such and life just continues as usual.

An Omega

At six, Edd is making breakfast. On Mondays and Tuesdays it is pancakes and on Wednesdays it's bacon and eggs. Thursdays are oatmeal and Fridays are free days for Kevin to choose what he wants. On the weekends, Kevin is served fruit and cold cereal.

At six-thirty, after Kevin has eaten, Edd is washing dishes and putting pans away; scrubbing the messy table and clearing off the counter.

By seven, Kevin is dressed in his pressed suit and Eddward has his lunch ready for him in his tote, waiting by the door with his coat in hand. Edd receives a peck on the cheek from a harried Kevin who rushes out the door, almost forgetting his lunch and getting an arm stuck in a sleeve.

Kevin's car putters off by seven-fifteen at the latest.

Eddward hurries up the stairs and cleans the bathroom after Kevin's morning ritual. He's a sometimes-messy man and Edd's bathroom has to be perfect.

A load of laundry is started by seven-thirty and the bedroom is clean and the bed is made, waiting for its inhabitants to slip between the sheets once more when the night falls.

Depending on if Edd is making a one-pot meal, by eight o'clock in the morning, dinner is already simmering on low heat, waiting for Kevin to come home and dish a large bowl of the stew or pasta or whatever it is that Edd cooked that day.

By nine, Edd has swept the hard-floors and vacuumed the carpeted areas of the house. He's switched the laundry to the dryer and he's checking on the stewpot to make sure dinner doesn't burn.

From ten to eleven, Edd decides to make dessert. He makes pie usually. Kevin likes pie and he's not picky, so Edd likes to experiment with his recipes.

Once the pie is cooling on the counter in front of the window, Edd is folding the laundry and it's only eleven-thirty.

The mail arrives around that time and Edd files each bill and throws the spam into a pile for kindling for their summer-night campfires.

By noon, when the sun is at its peak and Kevin should be home by three-thirty, Edd has turned the television on for background noise. It gets lonely at home every day and when he has no chores that involve him leaving the house, it gets especially lonely.

One o'clock chimes on their bird clock and Edd is stirring the stewpot once again and he decides to pick a book from the shelf and relax on the couch for a while.

The clock chimes again and Edd starts, jumping from the couch. He rushes to the kitchen and sighs with relief when dinner isn't burnt. He chides himself for falling asleep with the stove on.

Kevin's car rolls into the park at three on the dot. He's home early and Edd is at the door, waiting to take his coat and his tote. He ushers the red-head to the den and pushes him into the recliner, tugging off his shoes and fetches a beer while Kevin flips the channels.

Edd sits on the couch beside him, his book on the coffee table. Kevin tells him about his day at the office and Edd listens, enraptured.

Edd tells Kevin the menu for the night and swats his hand when he tries to sneak a piece of pie before dinner.

The table is set and the pot is on a hot-pad between them. Edd dishes them each bowls full. Kevin takes seconds and Edd barely finishes his first. The rest is rationed out in baggies and frozen.

Kevin eats two large slices of Edd's pie and complements the new recipe. Edd thanks him with a shy smile and tells him he found it in a magazine, but tweaked with it to make it his own.

At seven, the dishes are washed once more and put away and Edd has cleaned the bathroom after Kevin took another shower. (He'll clean it a third time after he's had his shower.)

From eight to ten, Kevin and Eddward relax in the living room in front of the television. Kevin flips through the channels, looking for something, anything interesting and finally decides on a movie they've both seen a hundred times that's already past its climax and is in the downward hill before the credits.

Eddward led Kevin towards the bedroom after the movie ended and the two slipped between the sheets in the dark.

Kevin was out as soon as his head hit the pillow. He was turned with his back facing Edd so Edd curled under the blankets against him, nesting his head over Kevin's shoulder.

~0~

Eddward sipped at his Butterbeer, wiping his mouth of the foam. The spiced drink warms his belly and his entire insides fizzle nicely. The winter weather has settled heavy over Hogwarts. The students had to trudge through a thick quilt of snow to get to Hogsmeade that morning and even being able to get into the cozy bar had been a challenge, but now that Edd was nursing a large stein of Butterbeer before he faced the weather again to do his Christmas shopping, all was well.

The front door opened again and a gust of crisp, freezing wind blew through the tavern, several patrons groaning and yelling to shut the door. Edd glanced over and saw his two best friends wading through the crowd. He raised his hand and caught Ed's attention. The Gryffindor then started dragging their fellow Slytherin along behind him.

"Hey, Double D! We almost got lost in the snow!"

"I'm sure, Ed." Eddward scooted over and let Eddy slide in next to him while Ed took the seat across from them. The Slytherin called over Madam Rosemerta who he flirted with, despite her rather large age gap.

"So, gentlemen," Edd said after the others' drinks had arrived and they'd warmed up their fingers. "What's on our schedule today?"

"I need more Sugar Quills," Ed said with an excited smile. "I ran out the other day~"

"But I just got you an entire box just last week!" Edd exclaimed. He frowned when Ed smiled at him. "You'll rot your teeth out like that, Ed."

"Not if I drink milk and eat carrots after," he said simply. Edd shook his head and dropped the topic. He turned to Eddy.

"I need a book for stupid Transfiguration. Stupid Professor Thomas said I 'need tutoring'. Bah." Eddy chugged down a large gulp of his drink, sloshing a bit as he set it back down on the table. Edd whipped out his wand quickly and Vanished the spill.

"Well, I could help you there. Did the Professor mention any recommendations? What are you having trouble with?"

* * *

Kindle Fire Mayday Button AU – sourwolf on tumblr

Kevin groaned again as he tapped on the stupid piece of technology. He just wanted to log-in to his classes. Was that too much? Apparently it was.

The red-head flopped onto his couch and tapped some more on the touch-screen, bemoaning some more as the screen refused to refresh or move forward.

Then a little button caught his eye. Hmm.

Kevin tapped at the Mayday button, not expecting anything helpful to happen. Probably a little box with mistakenly labeled advice.

"Hello, thank you for pressing the Mayday button, I'm Eddward."

"Woah."

"How can I help you, sir?"

Kevin felt a hand in his hair, slicking it back in case it was messy. Oh God.

"Uh…"

"I'm a tech analyst that can help you with any problems you may be having with your Kindle Fire. …Are you alright, sir?"

"O-OH! Sorry, I just, didn't know what would happen with the button. You…'re real?"

The man in the tiny box giggled. "Of course I'm real. In sitting at my desk talking to you, sir."

"Kevin. It's Kevin."

"Okay then, Kevin. Are you having any trouble?"

"Yeah uh… I was trying to log-in to my classes for school and… ya know, the page wouldn't respond."

"Hmm, well, have you checked that your internet provider is working properly?"

Kevin felt like an idiot. He quickly checked the little risen bars in the corner. "Y-Yeah, it's on and working.

* * *

Kevin couldn't remember how or even why, but at some point between making dinner and sitting down to eat it, he and Edd had gotten onto the topic of gaming.

Now, Kevin wasn't a hardcore kind of guy when it came to games. He played sports RPs and the occasional horror game, but only when he was bored. Edd was an RPG player and had his own portable device in his messenger bag for if he was ever caught waiting in a line or something.

Dinner was eating rather quickly that night, though, and soon, Kevin found himself sitting next to Edd on their couch, Edd's old Playstation 2 hooked up to the television. They were looking thought the game cases, trying to decide whether to play a co-op or individual game.

* * *

"Kevin! I would expect this kind of behaviour from Eddy or even Ed, but you?! Oh, for the love of Merlin, what exactly passed through your head that told you this was a good idea? Hmm? Do you realize how many laws you've broken? Oh Lord, I'm dating a felon!"

"Chill out, Edd. It's not that bad. It's not like I'm going around stealing or AKing people. What's a little Transfiguration for fun? "

"It's not fun when it's against the law!"

"Chill, Double D."

"I'm not going to chill, Kevin!"

"I'm not hurting anyone."

"And what about when you get stuck between animal and man? How are you supposed to explain that? Hmm? You will get into so much trouble!"

"I'm not an idiot, Edd, I know how to change from a freaking dog to a human. I've had lots of practice."

"Oh Merlin, you haven't been stealing too, have you?!"

"Nah… Well, just this once. But it wasn't my fault. Madame Puddifoot is a sucker for a pooch and she gave me a whole plate of hot buns! It was great."

"Oh Lord."

"Chill out. Everything's fine."

"You had better not expect me to involve myself anymore into this little stunt."

Kevin shoved his book further into his bag. "Umm, of course not. Heh."

"What even possessed you to start this project? What on Earth could you possibly have to do that involves you becoming an Animagus?"

"Uh…"

"Kevin!"

"Well…"

"Oh Lord!"

"It's nothing bad. You know that map I found?"

"Oh Merlin."

"Well, I did some research and the guys who made it were Animagus."

"So you're following in the footsteps of past troublemakers? Kevin."

"And I thought, hey! if they could do it, why not me? So… I did it!"

"Kevin."

"I'm sorry, Edd."

"Just promise you'll be careful. Unregistered and underage Animagus is punishable with a sentence to Azkaban."

Kevin felt faint. "R-Really?"

"Kevin! You did all that research and never bothered to look that up! Oh Merlin!"

"I-Is it really? Even if I'm underage? They'd send a kid to Azkaban?"

"Oh, I'm sure. You'd be stuck in a small cell inside the depths of Azkaban, listening to the screams and cries of witches and wizards who have been there for years. It would be cold all the time and you would cower from the Dementors who act as guards and feast on every good memory and feeling until you're nothing but a shell of your former self."

"I-I'm sorry, Edd."

"Will you stop transforming until you've become of age and register formally?"

"Y-Yeah. Of course!"

* * *

Eddward brushed his Pichu's hair with a fine-toothed brush. The small mouse was purring and chirruping as the brush caused friction in his fur that crackled pleasantly. Edd, wearing his trusty pair of rubber gloves as he brushed his Pokémon, was unaffected.

Kevin, sitting beside Edd, watched as the small mouse wiggled in his spot on the bench between them, laughed. "He's really enjoying that."

"Well, of course, Kevin. Electric type Pokémon enjoy stimulation caused by static electricity. It's easy to cause that with a fine brush through their fur. He brushed Pichu for a few more minutes before declaring the Pokémon clean.

"You know, Kevin, it's fairly easy to keep them happy. In fact, I bet your Heracross would enjoy a day out of his Pokéball. We are in a park and there are lots of trees that he could climb and suckle for honey." Edd replaced the thin collar over Pichu's ears and around his neck, straightening it and making sure it wasn't too tight or too loose before setting him off to play on the play set that was just across from the bench.

"Er, yeah. Alright." Kevin picked out Heracross's Pokéball from his belt and let him out, telling him to enjoy the sunshine and had barely even been able to say that before the bug type had spread his wings and attached himself to the nearest tree.

"See?" Edd said with a soft laugh. He was keeping an eye on Pichu as he waddled around the play set, playing with a baby Oddish trying to hop from one small stone to the next.

The electric type trainer then rummaged through his messenger bag and soon his Flaaffy was seated between him and Kevin on the bench. He took the fine-toothed brush and began running it through his Flaaffy's tangled wool. The lamb cooed and bayed happily.

* * *

Imagine Person A of your OTP is right handed and Person B is left handed so they can sit beside each other at a table and work on school/work while still being able to hold hands.

Kid fic

In elementary school, funny enough, Double D was a pretty popular dude.

He knew how to write his ABC's and could lace his shoes all on his own and he even had coloured pencils  _and_  crayons. He was shy, but he was also nice so that made up for not talking as much as the others.

His lunches always had an extra cookie from his mother that he shared with a lucky someone everyday and he played fair on the playground and never kicked sand or pulled anyone's hair.

Double D helped with homework and even though he never got any question wrong, he wasn't a bully or a know-it-all.

All in all, Double D was a Kindergarten Superstar.

But that wasn't always a good thing. At least, not for Kevin.

Double D being a Kindergarten Superstar meant Kevin being too shy to talk to the other little boy.

Kevin wasn't always shy. He liked to run and shout with the other boys and some of the tougher girls who didn't like playing Barbie all the time. He got rough and had scrapes on his knees most every day and at least one Batman band-aid somewhere on his body at all times.

But Edd never ran around like Kevin did at recess. The other boy wasn't as extroverted as Kevin so he stuck with his friends Ed and Eddy, tagging along with them, never really taking the frontline.

* * *

Imagine Person A OTP has been fighting depression for a few months, leaving Person B to look after their young baby. One night, hearing the baby cry, Person B gets up only to discover that Person A is already there, singing a lullaby to the baby

Keagan/Ellowyn – Kevin/Eddward

Little Baby Jim cried as his Mommy rocked him in her arms. Keagan was sat in a rocking chair herself and they both were in front of the crackling fireplace.

In the hall, Keagan could hear soft shuffling as Ellowyn slowly made her way into the kitchen where she prepared herself a cup of steaming tea and shuffled back into their bedroom to lay back down. All without a word or even a glance at either Keagan or Jim.

"What do you say we say goodnight to Mama before I put you down to bed, hmm?" Keagan stood up carefully and cradled little Jim steadily. The baby cooed and giggled and reached his arms upwards to grab at Keagan's hair. "I'll take that as a yes."

Keagan toed the bedroom door open and found Elle curled up under a mound of blankets, just the top of her head peaking out. There was a small snuffling sound that the redhead heard as she sat down next to the bump.

"Jimmy wanted to say night to his Mama," she said quietly.

"Good night," Ellowyn said without getting out from her cocoon. Little Jim cooed and Keagan accepted that that was as much as she was going to get that night and went to place Jim in his crib in the bedroom across the hall.

When she snuggled under the blankets herself, Ellowyn latched herself to her, burying her face in her chest.

"What's wrong, hun?" Keagan asked, stroking the long black hair. "You were getting better for a while. What happened?"

Ellowyn didn't answer for a moment and Keagan thought she might have fallen asleep, but then there was a tiny sigh and, "What if he hates me?"

"What? Who?"

"Jim. What if he gets older and hates me."

"Why on Earth would he hate you? You're the best mother Jimmy could have."

Ellowyn shook her head. "He'll hate me for not giving him a father."

"Elle, Jim won't hate you for giving him two moms, that's insane. Yeah, he might ask some questions, but he would never hate you."

The ravenette snuffled again.

"Maybe if you just hold him a while?" Keagan pet Ellowyn's hair softly, gently.

She shook her head. "No, not yet." The young mother took a deep breath and let it out through her nose. "Not yet."

* * *

Kitty!AU

Eddy's tail wagged proudly as he stepped back to admire the latest scam that he and the Eds had created.

"This is it, boys," he declared with a grim smirk. "The new and improved ED-LAND!"

Double D shook his head and Ed smiled and laughed loudly.

* * *

Meet the parents

"My parents have very strict rules, Kevin," Edd explained as he walked beside the redhead who rode on his bicycle. "At the beginning of our Junior year, they explained to me that if I wanted to go out with someone, they would have to meet them beforehand."

Kevin groaned. "That's so lame. You're, like, eighteen. Can't they just trust you?"

"Oh, they do trust me. It's the other children that they don't trust," Edd said with a smile.

* * *

Imagine your otp as young teenagers, not together yet. They are with a group of friends and on their way back from a late night school trip on the seats are all four together and there is a group of five, so person A sits on person B's lap for the journey, despite some mild mockery from their friends. Both person A and person be are tired from the long trip and relaxed by the gentle train ride and despite their best efforts, they doze off cuddled up together on the chair. Leaving their friends to giggle about them and take photos for later blackmail.

Deciding to take the class trip to the nation's capital was one of the best decisions both Kevin and Double D had ever made. But for two very different reasons.

The entire day, Edd's group of classmates, along with their two chaperones, trekked down the busy streets of Ottawa. They visited museums, both historical and scientific; admired the Town Hall; and an abundance of government buildings both grand in size and rich in history.

But now, the day was ending and the group was heading to the train station to take the O-Train back to their hotel to meet up with the rest of the students and teachers.

"Ugh, finally."

"Oh, Eddy. Today was very intriguing! It was chock full of delightful tidbits of information around every corner that we took!"

Eddy sighed dramatically, shoving his hands into his pockets, slouching as he kept up with the group as they headed into the station. "School trips are so lame."

"This wasn't a mandatory trip, Eddy," Eddward chided. "You didn't have to come if you were so adverse to it." The beanie-clad young man wagged his finger towards his short friend.

"It's mandatory when your Pops forces you. 'You're goin' and you might learn something for once!'"

"You can't name a single thing that we did today that you enjoyed?" Edd asked as he was handed a ticket by one of the two teachers chaperoning them. "I'm sure even dear Ed enjoyed his day. Right, Ed?"

Ed nodded overenthusiastically, nearly knocking himself and three other students over as they all stood in the crowded station, waiting for the train to pull in.


End file.
